


to the moon and to saturn.

by poetdameron



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Background Robby/Moon, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Lighthouse Keeper AU, M/M, Melancholy, More Tags In Work Notes, Podfic Welcome, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:42:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 56,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28239414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetdameron/pseuds/poetdameron
Summary: Daniel never thought of himself as man that would end up alone, but he did.He had the sea and the lighthouse, but he was always alone.Then, one stormy noon, he met Johnny.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 52
Kudos: 145





	to the moon and to saturn.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cobra_shy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cobra_shy/gifts).



> This is a story that means a lot to me. I hope you guys like it. I aslo want to dedicate this to my good friend Bailey, aka cobra-shy on Tumblr, who not only supported me a lot during the making of this story but has been the nicest to me and continues to be the best around.
> 
> Title from Taylor Swift's song 'seven' from her album Folklore, that has inspired a lot of this fic.
> 
> Now, extra tags for every sexual act in this fic.
> 
> Which are a lot.
> 
>  **Extra tags:** Dirty Talk, Praising, Light Dom/Sub Undertones, Light Size Kink, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Anal Play, Anal Fingering, Prostate Milking / Prostate Massage, First Time Blow Job, Come Eating, Anal Sex, Riding, I cannot stress enough just how much dirty talk there's here so DIRTY TALK.

Daniel never thought of himself as someone who would end up alone. He’d been a friendly boy growing up, kind and respectful. It made him connect to people everywhere he went and yet, he still spent most of his days by himself.

It cost him years to accept he wasn’t granted the ability to keep friends, just make them. 

Like the boy on the beach when he’d been seven. 

They’d been friends for a few days, then he was gone and all Daniel had was a memory—he couldn’t remember the face, just the fact that they’ve been pirates and astronauts, all in one week and it kept happening to him over and over again.

Marrying had put an end to that, that’s what Daniel thought. But—the divorce took away the connections Amanda had brought.

Now, he lived alone.

He had the lighthouse and the tide, the darkness of each night as the single light on top of the tower lighted up the sky, bringing brightness to the sea.

As the off season went on, Daniel kept himself busy with Mr. Miyagi’s bonsais and the small garden in the back of the service house.

He kept himself quiet and busy, just him and the light, and the water.

Then, he met John.

**To The Moon And To Saturn**

Sid died on a Wednesday afternoon.

He’d been busy with Miguel and his family as they loaded the truck taking his things to his college dorm when Johnny’s phone rang.

Johnny ignored it at first, too emotional and concentrated on keeping sight of the boy leaving tomorrow morning to care for it. Tonight was their last dinner together, tonight he’ll say goodbye and try his best not to cry as he reminded himself the boy will be home for the winter break.

It made him wonder how much of a mess he would’ve been had Robby decided to go to college for this semester. Selfishly, it was a secret bright side of his son’s decision to stay; at least he’ll have one of his boys around like before, he could be a cool trying dad for another semester or two.

He enjoyed Miguel’s company as they ate together, purposely ignoring the way some number he didn’t have saved kept calling and calling, until it finally stopped around seven as they got into the theater to watch one last movie before the boy left for college.

It wasn’t until Johnny was home that his phone rang once more and he answered, irritated and weirded out that someone would insist so much.

He listened to the lawyer carefully, blinking as a mix of emotions turned his stomach, his mouth tasted like ashes. Johnny hung up feeling numb, cold… Sid had passed away in his big mansion with no one around but Rhonda, his nurse.

According to the lawyer, the old man had already left everything ready for his burial, the same lot as his mother, right at her side as if he’d been a loving husband who deserved her. But Johnny had no say on any of it.

“Legally, you’re Mr. Weingber’s son, Mr. Lawrence.” The man had said, his monote tone so dull, Johnny was sure he was talking to a programmed machine. “Aside from the wake and burial, you are required for the reading of Mr. Weingber’s Will.”

“I don’t think—”

“You’re listed first in the reading, sir.” He said. “We’ve programmed it for…”

He told Carmen he wouldn’t go as he drove Miguel and his family to the bus station. 

The woman looked at him weird, as if she was thinking exactly how to tell him he was stupid, while Miguel didn’t stop himself from saying he should go—maybe there was money, and hey… he hadn’t needed that but a father growing up, but at least now, the memory of the man could give him something good.

Rosa had slapped him with a frown, but Miguel was still smiling as they drove and kept smiling as they said goodbye. Johnny stood there with the woman, watching Miguel and Carmen get into their bus. That was the last he talked about it with anyone but Robby until the reading.

To no one’s surprise, the man didn’t have anyone but himself.

He left his production company to his partners as well as some money for it. The rest of it was distributed between charities Johnny was sure Sid never even knew existed, a portion to Rhonda, and finally—

“What?” He asked after hearing. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

The man reading the Will looked at him with amusement, he had probably seen this before for years and years. 

He cleared his throat and repeated: “The other 50% of my fortune was Laura’s. As promised to her before her death, I’m leaving it to her son, John Henry Lawrence.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, controlling himself from gasping louder than he had the first time. Even now, after so many years gone, his mother kept protecting him and coaxing Sid into giving him shit he didn’t actually want.

The lawyer continued.

“My house with all its furniture, original paintings, books and movies, as well as the motorcycles collection, including the Harley-Davidson EL/FL Knucklehead 1940, and the cars, I leave them to Laura’s son, John Henry Lawrence.”

Johnny blinked a couple of times, the tension in the room suddenly suffocating as Sid’s partners and godson were looking at him between surprise and—hate? Whatever. He hadn’t asked for any of this.

He swallowed, looking down, unable to understand what the hell was going on.

This must be his mother’s work. 

That promise she made Sid make as she laid sick in bed must have included all this. The man kept talking, reading the rest of the will that stated little things he didn’t care about at all until he heard his son’s name.

“The beach house and all its furniture, as well as the boat, I leave them to Laura’s grandson, Robert Swayze Keene Lawrence.”

Johnny blinked, slowly looking at his side where Robby was frowning with a confused expression. The boy had met Sid twice or thrice, it made no sense—except, the old bastard had no one.

No one but the stepson he hated so much and his step-grandson he didn’t actually know.

His first instinct was to leave and not take anything, even if he had always loved the Knucklehead and had once driven it without Sid’s permission as a teenager—Johnny blinked, frowning.

Sid had highlighted it in his Will, did he remember that night? 

It was maybe his only “good” memory of the man. 

Johnny had taken the bike in spite of Sid’s negative about him touching any of the motorcycles in his dusty garage where the collection was kept. The man had been waiting for Johnny sitting in the stairs of the back door as he drove back to the garage.

He had said nothing, only extended his hand for Johnny to give back the key. And when he did, Sid had winked at him and left without a word.

For days, Johnny expected the punishment to come his way but it never did. 

Instead, when he turned sixteen, his mother gave him a key of his own—she and Sid had bought him a bike like his friends’ and the next day, Sid took him to pick up the helmet they had made specially for him: black, with a badass cobra painted on it.

They had lunch together in silence, and then never again.

He couldn’t take any of this. He was about to say so when someone touched his bicep. Johnny looked at his side to where Robby was sitting with a frown.

“What are we gonna do?” He asked, Johnny blinked a couple of times, looking at him.

Maybe… maybe it wasn’t so bad, to take the money at least. Maybe he could sell the stupid house and all the stupid paintings and shit. Keep the bikes. 

He had a son, he had Miguel—he could send Robby to whatever University he wanted now.

“I don’t know.” He said with a sigh.

They walked around the house after, the boy looking up at the ridiculous space as Johnny wondered how he had been able to survive this silence, this loneliness in this cold place.

“We are selling it, it’s what’s happening.” Johnny said, Robby chuckled at his side and then asked to look at the bikes collection.

His helmet was there.

The sight of it made him feel dizzy. 

Johnny wasn’t sure what any of it meant, why had this man left him so much when in life he constantly treated him like garbage and enjoyed passing over him. When he said over and over again that he was never getting anything from him after he passed away… he didn’t understand what any of it meant.

At the end, Johnny opened an account for his son and another for Miguel. He tried his best to pursue Robby into going to college, but his and Sharon’s effort to get through their son were futile as the boy decided he was better off this way.

He had a job in a used cars lot, a job he was really good at and worked just fine for him. Their son didn’t need them—he could take care of himself, and the only people to blame for that, for a kid having to grow up so fast, were the two of them.

Money didn’t solve it, but Johnny gave him access to a credit car for emergencies that included girl trouble, and Robby had smiled at him as he shook his head and accepted it.

When the boy asked him to take him and his girlfriend to the beach house, he didn’t refuse.

Now, he had the emptiness of the house and the silence of the sea.

Some Mr. de Sol had Sid’s boat in a small town by the sea, slightly famous for its pretty boulevard with a perfect view of the shore, the dock and the lighthouse in a small island near land. 

Johnny remembered it from his childhood, from before his mother married and then from when Sid was still trying to convince her to marry him, and he would take them both for trips and whatnot.

He liked it, growing up. 

The last time he was here, he’d been fifteen and in a relationship for the first time, mad at the world because he hadn’t wanted to come without her but Sid had said no. Johnny had spent the worst day sitting on the beach, watching the sun go down, looking at the lighthouse, and the brightness of it calmed him down.

He remembered seeing surfers in the waves, kids running around, couples walking as they held hands, a silly boy trying to balance himself in one leg and make a kick.

Robby smiled at him listening to it all, as he smiled at Mr. de Sol while the man made his offers and showed the boat to them. The man wanted to buy the thing and Robby had thought of simply giving it to him—if he had been Sid’s friend, then he could have it. It was of no importance to him, and Johnny agreed with his son...

But the lighthouse called his attention, it brightened the sea as the sky turned grey and the confusion of his life became a tempest. 

With just one look to the water, he decided to take it out for a ride as his son told him to go. 

The boy promised to think about it, about selling the boat, Johnny thought it a good thing.

Right now, though, all he wanted was to be out there in the blue and the salt. Mr. de Sol had smiled at him talking about bad weather and it being the off season, but Johnny didn’t listen.

He didn’t listen and then it rained. 

It rained like in any other place, but he could feel the waves angrily hitting the white boat as he remembered every boring lesson from Tommy’s dad about navigating and whatnot until he managed to visualize the lighthouse.

Mr. de Sol had told him the keeper stayed put even during the off season. The safest place for him right now, as the waves pushed him around, was exactly there.

There, where the small island looked like a paradise among the storm.

* * *

It was raining the day it happened.

Daniel realized the promised storm wouldn’t be as wild as thought before—but the wind still made the waves crash with a thunderous show on the small island, making him sigh as he watched it happen from the top of the lighthouse after a day in the back garden of the service house.

His eyes were tired, but sleeping in this solitude was not always the best option for there was work to do all the time. The light needed to be up—even if no one was out there.

As a kid, he’d been a friendly child that was always being heard. He never seemed to be a good candidate to solitude and melancholy, but as he grew up, Daniel realized just how false that was. 

To maintain contact, keep friendships, relationships that weren’t romances that never became true love as he wished, it had all been so hard.

So now, as he lived for the lighthouse and the sea, it seemed a fitting end.

Even if Mr. Miyagi had wanted something different for him, or his mother didn’t like his tone of voice anymore, the way he didn’t see his kids as much or had ended his marriage in such a sad, lonely note.

This was his fit, Daniel realized as he stood from his place at the light. 

He had a routine here, order, peace.

Every day he woke up early to turn off the light unless the sky was clouded and grey. He made sure all machinery was working like a clock. He greased its ends when necessary, made breakfast and read the news on his phone. 

As he continued the day, he tended to the garden and maintained the house as best he could. There was always something to do: laundry, itinerary, repairs, keeping up with the stats and the diary to fill.

During Summer, tourists came. The fishing season also brought men that would stay for a few minutes or hours to rest before finishing off their days.

He could always sit with a book and a comforter on his shoulders in the iron bridge of the lighthouse and watch the sun go down from the gallery, the empty sea—the stars at night, the moon over the water.

It was a good place to be and be no one.

_ Love you to the Moon and to Saturn _

Daniel blinked at the far away memory, a friend he couldn’t even recall the face of. A boy he barely had a name for, but that meant so much—

His knee hurt, so did his heart. Daniel sighed.

Today, he had been lazy and only stayed in the garden, happily pruning Mr. Miyagi’s bonsais and going around checking on his tomatoes and potatoes, looking at the other plants and flowers he had slowly grown since the first time he put foot on this island as the lighthouse keeper.

He looked out the gallery’s window now as the rain became stronger, watching a boat berth in the island’s dock as it poured rain that angered the sea. 

Whoever had gotten themselves trapped in the storm and the sea must be a newbie. Daniel sighed as he decided to come down and greet his visitor, even if their stupidity made him roll his eyes.

He opened the door of the lighthouse, sighing as he took off the comforter from his shoulders and put on his raincoat. Daniel walked down the rocky path carefully, thinking of what kind of visitor he was having—

It had been more than a month since he last saw someone or spoke with anyone in person, not on the phone or video-call.

Daniel saw a man coming out of the boat, under-dressed with no raincoat or boots but a plaid shirt over a t-shirt. Jeans and vans, from all freaking shoes—a jean jacket, too. 

The man looked lost—Daniel shook his head. 

He walked towards him, biting his tongue as he reminded himself he better not roll his eyes in front of the guy.

“Hey!” He said, his hair was sticking to his forehead and looked dark—but still blonde. Golden. “Are you the lighthouse keeper?”

“In the flesh!” Daniel answered, close enough to freeze at the sight of deep blue eyes. 

“It’s a nice lighthouse!”

“Yeah—“ He chuckled, willing himself to make no comment on the starry eyes looking at him. 

It had been a while since he last had company in here, here where the ghosts came to find a happy ending.

* * *

The lighthouse keeper looked at him like a freaking cartoon, up and down, arching an eyebrow as if there was any sort of etiquette for these things Johnny wasn’t aware of.

“Hey, you.” The keeper said once Johnny was closer, voice dry as if he hadn’t used it in days. “Come in.”

Johnny frowned a little, walking into the keeper’s house after the man moved to let him in—the place was fucking dark. Not even in the cozy kind of way, it was simply dark and humid, cold. 

He turned around, trying not to pray on this man’s shit as he wondered for how long he’d been stationed here all alone.

The man took off his raincoat, leaving it in a hook near the door.

“Thanks for letting me in.” He said, holding his hand out. “Johnny Lawrence.”

“Daniel.” The keeper said, holding his hand in a firm shake. “LaRusso.”

They shook hands like closing a deal, the man smiled at him.

“Nice meeting you, Mr. Lawrence.” 

“Tsk, just Johnny is fine.” He cleared his throat, letting go of the other’s hand as he tried to ignore how much he was freezing. “Uh—you think it will take long for this rain to pass?”

Daniel LaRusso arched an eyebrow again, this time there was a spark of humor in him as he walked deeper into the house, guiding Johnny through it.

There was a bucket in the middle of the hallway leading to the stairs, right in front of the entrance to the kitchen on the right, another room to the left.

“What kind of fisherman are you? It’ll be raining for days.” The man informed him, Johnny sighed deeply as he closed his eyes and tried not to think of the next few days. 

They passed the bucket, water was falling down in drops from the ceiling when Johnny opened his eyes and looked up with a frown.

“But according to predictions, we may see some clarity each morning. Rain is only predicted during the afternoon.”

“Yeah?” He crossed his arms over his chest as they entered the room to the left.

“I mean, it’s never exact, but...” 

Daniel turned around after they entered what looked like the living room area. 

A fireplace was lit, and it gave the place a different feeling from its first impression. Johnny looked up at the man, wondering if he could see his face better now that the fire gave him a clearer sight of the place. 

The first thing that caught his attention were a pair of big doe eyes looking right at him. The deep dark of them attracted Johnny like a bug to the light, and he blinked a couple of times, opening his mouth to say  _ anything _ but no words came out.

Instead, he looked at that face and realized just how familiar Daniel was—but the name and the voice didn’t ring any bells, he didn’t have any ties to the sea beyond Sid’s boat his son may as well sell in the next few days..

Daniel looked down, noticing the way he was being watched. He didn’t seem uncomfortable, but his cheeks turned a soft tone of pink. 

Embarrassed, maybe. Just a little. 

Johnny cleared his throat, the man looked up again.

“You must be freezing, man. Let me get you something—”

“It’s fine—”

“No,” The keeper smiled at him, “I’ll be back in a second. Sit by the fire, it’ll do your bones good.”

“Uh, okay.”

With that, the man was gone and Johnny was left alone in the strange darkness of this quiet place.

He looked around, leaving his bag on the floor beside the couch. Johnny got out of his jacket and shoes—

“Shit…” He looked down at his pretty much ruined Vans. “Fuck.”

He’ll have to be barefoot.

Sighing, he looked up to the books and DVDs on the wall of the fireplace—they were all ordered neatly by size and color.

“Jesus…” It must have taken a while to do.

Johnny turned to the rest of the room, noticing there weren’t many things decorating the walls but the place was impeccable.

It seemed comfortable enough for a worker that needed to stay on the island for long months.

Did people still use Lighthouses anyway? It was such a romantic concept, this man may as well be a sea creature luring idiots that know nothing of water and fish like him, and maybe tonight he’ll be eaten and with that, all ties to the mess that was his life would be over.

Johnny sighed, shaking his head to take those thoughts, and the ones about needing a drink, away from his head. He didn’t need yet another existential crisis right now.

Instead he took out his phone from the bag, quickly texting Robby to let him know what had happened and for how long he may be stranded here. He hesitated on the send button, frowning at just how stupid it all sounded—Shannon was gonna murder him.

Leaving their son alone with his girlfriend in a beach house... 

“Here.” He heard. 

Johnny turned around to find Daniel walking in with a towel and clean clothes: a green sweater he suspected may fit him tight, grey pants he was definitely not using, grey socks. “You’re—you’re broader than me, but this actually pools on me, so…”

“Yeah.” Johnny chuckled, leaving the phone back on the bag. 

“Go change while I make you some coffee, if you like.”

He walked towards Daniel. 

“Sure… Thanks. Amm, your bathroom?”

“Out over here, first door to your right.”

Nodding, Johnny took what the man was offering, distracting himself with the patterns of the comforter he had on his shoulders before getting out and into the bathroom as instructed.

So.

He was stranded on this island until the morning, if the sun actually came out and he could get back to town. 

If not, three days—he was going to miss the entire weekend with Robby and Moon if he didn’t get out, all because he didn’t listen to the men at the dock and went out to be  _ alone _ .

“Fuck.” 

Johnny sighed, taking off his wet shirt and making use of his host’s hospitality.

* * *

Truth was, there weren't many uses for the lighthouse anymore.

It was mostly tradition, the beauty of it, the tourism some attracted as people liked to romanticize these places—sometimes with love, others with horror.

When he was a teen, Daniel loved to get in the ferri and visit the lighthouse.

Back then, many people came and stayed around, having picnics in the grass and listening to the old keeper’s stories. 

That was what he liked the most, to sit down at the shore with Mr. Miyagi and listen to him talk about his home in Okinawa, the sea and fishing, learning from him as if he’d been the father lacking in Daniel’s life.

He grew up with his wisdom and kindness, was the first person to know when he was in love and in trouble, and Daniel had learned everything about the light and the sea with him.

Now, in his absence, he kept the light in the dark, wishing someone out there was seeing it and feeling the same hope he felt every time he saw it from his window in the small house he and his mother used to live in.

“You’re tiny.” His guest said, Daniel couldn’t help but roll his eyes and smile as he looked back at the man— “This is way too tight, man.”

Daniel blinked, feeling something odd in his stomach and legs at the sight of his guest wearing his clothes. He cleared his throat, looking away from his green sweater being stretched by broad shoulders and biceps, and a hard looking chest. 

For God’s sake, he was truly lonely.

He licked his lips, looking up with a smile. “At least you aren’t wet anymore. What about your jeans?”

“It’s fine.” Johnny said. “I… I left the towel and my clothes hanging on the bathroom so it will dry, is that okay?”

“Yeah, thank you. And don’t worry.” He sighed. 

Daniel looked at Johnny for a few seconds—he had an interesting face. Familiar, but he was sure he’d remember a man this attractive.

He slapped himself out of it in his head, walking fast towards the kitchen to get this man his coffee. Johnny followed without another word.

“So, what got into you?” Daniel asked, getting two mugs from the counter. “Coming out with this rain.”

Johnny shrugged, walking behind him. “I just wanted to be alone. Didn’t know it was gonna rain like this…”

He frowned, debating between asking more or keeping it that way. Risking your boat and your life just to have privacy sounded extreme—Johnny must be saying the truth, he genuinely had no idea. 

“How could you not know?” He couldn’t help but ask, pouring coffee into both mugs.

When he didn’t have an answer, Daniel swallowed and turned around, offering Johnny a mug.

“Thanks.” He murmured. “You have sugar?”

“Here—“ He passed the little jar where he kept it.

Daniel watched him prepare his coffee—two sugars, two big sugars. Black. Nothing else.

“So?” Daniel asked again as they entered the living area again.

Water fell into the bucket in the hallway.

The man looked at him… odd. He didn’t have a name for it, but he was probably not happy with Daniel’s tone and holy shit—he really wasn’t ready for the rest of the world anymore.

“I’m not a sailor or a fisherman.” Johnny said. “Or from around, for that matter. I had no idea.”

Of course. Still—Daniel frowned. His mouth opened again, Johnny turned completely with a frown.

“Buddy, you’re nosy as hell, uh?” He said, Daniel felt his face warmth. “The boat was my stepfather’s, I borrowed it. Wanted to be alone. That’s it.”

“Uh, okay.” Daniel answered looking down.

He heard the man move, take out something from his bag, curse in a murmur. Daniel looked up to find Johnny’s back, he looked like he was on his phone as he left the mug on the table he kept near the couch.

There was a strange tension between them Daniel couldn’t name. He didn’t know him but it felt familiar anyway. 

Daniel cleared his throat, Johnny turned almost right away, talking without looking up.

“I used to come here… to town, I mean.” He finally looked up. “When I was kid, we would come to my stepfather’s beach house but as soon as I grew older and wasn’t a cute kid to carry around anymore, he would just send me to some camp and come here with my twenty years younger than him mom.” Johnny put his phone aside, shrugging. “You know how that is.”

Daniel moved his head to one side, once again grateful for the simple and sometimes boring childhood he had. Whatever his face was saying right now, it was enough for Johnny to accept his sympathy and they were back to the strange familiarity of each other.

He wondered if the man could feel it, too.

Had they crossed paths before? Did Johnny come here after Daniel moved in? Maybe in passing, they’ve seen each other as kids. Or maybe, he was just lonely and excited to have company for a night.

“I’m… I’m going to make us dinner in about an hour, more or less. I hope you like chicken tenders…”

Johnny snorted, smiling so wide, it made Daniel swallow at the sight.

“A man after my own heart!”

Daniel chuckled, feeling his face  _ hurt  _ with how much he’d been smiling in just a few minutes. 

He didn’t get many visitors here, most movies he watched didn’t steal a smile from him anymore. But right now, as he was becoming alarmingly comfortable with this man around, it was hard not to smile. He hoped he wasn’t coming off as weird.

“Well, make yourself comfortable. I still need to do a few things around, so…”

Johnny nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but didn’t.

The man took his mug and walked away, closer to the fire. He sat down in front of it, taking out his wallet and looking around it. Daniel blinked, watching as Johnny took out a picture and a folded paper. He sighed with relief, leaving it back in its place after unfolding the sheet and verifying it was okay.

“Wife and kids?” Daniel asked, unable to keep his mouth shut.

Johnny shook his head without looking up, he kept adjusting the photo as he wanted. “My son, actually.” He answered. “Never got married.”

“Oh.” Daniel nodded, walking closer. “Well, I hope his picture is alright.”

“It is, thank fucking God.” Johnny answered, closing his wallet and throwing it into the couch where his bag was. “I swear, If I lose that photo…” Johnny looked up, Daniel nodded.

“Yeah, I understand that feeling.” Daniel sighed. “I haven’t seen my kids in a while, if I lose their photos, I would… It would be like losing them.”

Johnny looked at him with a neutral expression, orange on his face as the sound of the fire combined with that of the rain made for good acoustic. It made him want to stay here, talking to this man he didn’t know, just to do something different from his every day.

Another drop fell into the bucket.

There was something about the way Johnny looked at him, it was almost as if he recognized Daniel somewhow and was trying to learn his every corner to not forget again.

In silence, they drank most of their mugs and it felt—it felt good, fitting.

“You need any help?” Johnny asked after a few seconds.

Daniel swallowed. “No—” He laughed. “Unless you know how to fix the heating in my room.”

The man arched an eyebrow. “You’re in luck today, I guess.” He stood up, Daniel tensed as he saw him walk towards him. “Where are your tools?”

“What? No, no—” Daniel tried to make him stay. “I was joking, you’re a guest here.”

“Nah, man. If I stay on my ass here all day, I will lose my shit.” He joked, even when part of him sounded serious. “Come on, take it as, like—payment, for letting me stay.”

He blinked a couple of times, slowly nodding, still holding the comforter around him.

Swallowing again, Daniel turned and walked towards the kitchen with the other man behind him. After giving him the box of tools, they walked downstairs where he suddenly felt self-conscious as the bed was unmade and there were a few pieces of clothes out of place, dirty dishes and whatnot.

Daniel showed him the thing, Johnny got to work almost right away, so Daniel decided to do the same and go back to his keeper duties before all these feelings made him look like a creep.

This was ridiculous, Daniel realized as he tried to distract himself by keeping his work as he left Johnny to his own. It was absolutely ridiculous because he hadn’t been—he hadn’t been into a guy in a very long time, and—

Not like he was into Johnny. 

He barely knew him and Daniel wasn’t thinking of anything but to be a good host, keep the lighthouse going and survive the storm. 

But he had to admit it—Johnny was an attractive man and he hadn’t been in contact with anyone but his mother and daughter in almost six months. 

He couldn’t be much older than him, had a handsome face with a head full of blonde hair that sure shone golden under the sun. And there was something—just something about him that kept Daniel looking over his shoulder, smiling as they passed each other, gravitating towards the other as both wandered the house with the rain as background noise: Daniel going as usual with his inventory and other things, Johnny repairing everything he had neglected until now.

It was an odd feeling, to be working like this with someone else around, to have the house filled with the noise of another person in it, doing the things he couldn’t or didn’t want to do.

He bit his bottom lip, wondering what else could this visit bring.

The leak in the hallway kept its perpetual noise, marking the past of time as the mugs on his table became cold.

* * *

This house was a fucking mess with accidents waiting to happen in every corner.

Johnny had gotten Daniel to turn on most of the lights at last, and now he could see the neat way everything was arranged to hide all broken doors and sinks, windows missing crystals, ceiling leaking in the hallway to the kitchen that was caused by something broken in the bathroom on the second floor, whatever else may be hiding around.

“Again, why don’t you have someone come over and take a look at this?” Johnny asked, standing on the hallway as he looked up to the leak in the ceiling. “This must be because of the bathroom, man…”

“I’m supposed to keep everything in order here, but—” Daniel chuckled, shaking his head when Johnny looked at him. “To be quite honest, I’m not that good a handyman.”

“Uhm.” Johnny arched an eyebrow. “You’re just lazy, it’s what you are.”

Daniel laughed again, it echoed in the house like something out of a movie or something more romantic he had no intention to dwell in. Johnny sighed, thinking of the leak on the bathroom’s floor upstairs and how to approach it.

“I’m a good carpenter.” The man said. “And an excellent mechanic. But… simply repairs? Plumery? No, no. I always end up wet and frustrated.”

He closed his eyes for long seconds, breathing in and out, reminding himself he didn’t know this guy and making a sexual joke right now may as well be the most inappropriate thing he could do. 

Johnny bit the inside of his cheek and nodded.

“Fine.” He said. “I’ll go upstairs, see what I can do.”

“No.” Daniel said, walking in front of him. “Look, you already did more than enough—it’s not necessary.”

Johnny shook his head. “Stop acting like you aren’t enjoying it!” 

Whatever Daniel thought after he spoke, it kept him from following Johnny or keep talking. He smiled, walking upstairs as the keeper cleared his throat.

“Such a dick…” He heard him murmur, making Johnny laugh like a child. “I’m—I’m gonna be in the kitchen!”

“Alright!”

It had been a while since he had dinner with someone else that wasn’t Miguel or Robby. 

Dinner with other people often reminded him of bad things—growing up in a cold house, the weekend’s big parties he watched through the stairs that never let him sleep.

Sid’s house was often filled with people that didn’t care about each other, their family dinners any other week just a pantomime that taught him to not want anything or he’ll get the worst version of it. 

And this place—

“Great…” 

Johnny sighed, looking under the sink and the toilet, knowing already there was nothing he could do. The pipeline under the floor must have a leak—he didn’t have the tools for it in here. 

He looked back into the room, into the unmade bed and the clothes all over the place, discarded books and other shit all over the floor.

“This man is a fucking mess…”

This place was oddly okay.

It had broken bits everywhere, was cold upon entering, but it was quiet and warm once you were deeper in. 

There was a sense of familiarity and easiness to the way Daniel kept it tiddy in spite of the places that needed fixing; and while this pipe may have to wait for someone with better and more appropriate tools once the storm passed, the rest of it was now repaired.

He sighed, giving up with this one for the day and wishing he could just lay down and sleep for a few hours, wake up with the rain gone. But he went out of the bathroom instead, finding himself again in Daniel’s messy room with a knowing smile.

It made him wonder again for how long had the man been stationed here, how long were the lonely nights and if he had started to lose track of time, unsure of when was morning and when was night—Johnny sighed, shaking his head as he walked towards the door.

There were no pictures of kids anywhere, no ring on his finger, any signs that someone but this man had been here in a long time. 

All the dirty dishes and clothes gathered in this room reminded Johnny of long days spent numb.

He could tell there was history behind all that, maybe even behind why the man had taken such a lonely job when Daniel looked like the kind of man that needs sunshine and fresh air, not the dark and the confinement.

Johnny gave one last look to the undone bed, and went out the room.

* * *

He hadn’t cooked for more than one person in a very long time, and it wasn’t like he was doing some great culinary achievement here with the chicken tenders, but Daniel still put on some effort to make it worth the wait.

The man hadn’t mentioned anything beyond his name and working for years as a handyman, that he had a son whose picture he kept on his wallet, some not-great story about a stepfather, and then nothing, but Daniel didn’t feel unsafe with him around.

It was strange to settle so calmly with someone he had never met until now, his curious nature not even coming in strong to ask questions about him, nothing, just the giddiness of having company after being stationed here for almost six months.

Most days, during the off season, Daniel couldn’t stand the sight of the empty sea, so even if the storm had dragged Johnny to the island, at least someone was out there and it felt like enough.

This was enough. And good.

“Okay,” He heard him enter the kitchen, Daniel looked back for a few seconds to see how his sweater stretched some more, “so I can’t do much for the pipeline in the bathroom.”

“No?”

“No, you gotta open that shit and I don’t have the tools or will power to do it today.”

Daniel laughed, shaking his head as he watched the food cook. “Well, I appreciate both the honesty and effort with the rest of the house.” He said. “Would’ve prefered the full service, but it’s alright.”

“Ah, now we get demanding.” The man said, walking behind him to look over Daniel’s shoulder. “Though you said I shouldn’t even bother, that I was a guest.”

He smiled, very aware of the warm body behind him, the voice so close to his ear. “Well, you did offer and immediately put yourself to work, I thought I would get the whole package.”

Johnny stepped back from him and Daniel bit the inside of his cheek. Had he said something wrong? His guest didn’t say anything else, but moved to stand by his side, looking at the food for a second as he drummed his knuckles on the kitchen’s countertop, making Daniel nervous as he thought maybe he had fucked everything up.

“So what, you like getting whole packages then?” He asked and Daniel gasped so loudly, Johnny started to laugh. “Jesus, your face!”

“Oh, shut up!” Daniel answered, trying his best not to laugh but the other man's laugh was so joyful, he couldn’t help it at the end, laughing with him as he left the food aside to slap Johnny’s shoulder. “Asshole!”

The man shook his head, biting his bottom lip as he looked at Daniel as if he wanted to say something else but was keeping himself from doing so. He had a couple of ideas of what he had in mind, Daniel chuckled again as he went back to his cooking and wondered from where this almost juvenile feeling had come from.

After a few minutes, they sat down to eat and Daniel sighed when he noticed the rain had risen again. At this rhythm, there was no way Johnny would be able to make it out the island tomorrow—maybe he would have to stay the three days prevented by weather services after all. 

The idea sounded… alien, but not bad. Just a bit weird, almost thrilling.

“So this is what you do all day long?” Johnny asked, “Go around repairing shit and filling books?”

“Sort of.” He admitted. “I mean, it’s the off season. When it’s not, there’s some visitors that like taking photos and having picnics. Fishermen come to rest a while, then go back to town. Stuff like that.”

“Uhm.” The man nodded. “Don’t you get bored?”

“All the time!” He said with a small smile. “But—I got all kinds of books and movies. There’s no wi-fi because the town isn’t close enough and phone companies are evil, but I do have my phone, so… it’s not so bad.”

Johnny moved his head to one side, accepting his answer and going back to his food. They stayed in silence like that for a few minutes, listening to the other eat and the rain fall, until Johnny started to talk again.

“A friend’s dad once told us all lighthouses are haunted.” He said, Daniel blinked with his eyes glued to his food. “That people who die at sea are attracted to them for the light and they can’t go anywhere because they believe this is the light they should follow.”

Daniel looked up. “Do you believe in that? Ghost stories and stuff.”

The man shrugged. “Not really, no.” He smiled, taking his glass from the table. 

It still made him curious, that Johnny had asked only for water after Daniel offered beer or even whiskey.

He didn’t look like the type to reject a cold beer.

“Though, I think I would have a ghost problem in my head if I lived in a place like this.”

“You think so?” Daniel bit his bottom lip, Johnny took a sip of his drink as he watched him with particular interest.

“Yeah.” He sighed, leaving the glass back on the table. “I did come out from town today trying to forget about them.”

For a second, he frowned. Soon Daniel understood what was being shared with him and nodded, clearing his throat before taking his own glass and drinking.

At night, these things happened.

Memories came and became dancing shadows in the light at the top of the tower. Regrets and What Ifs figured in his sleep, in the quiet of the sea in the dark—and other nights, it never really mattered.

He looked at his guest now, wondering what kind of ghosts he was carrying with him.

“I can assure you there aren’t any ghosts here.” He said with a soft smile, making Johnny look up at him. “You’ll sleep well tonight, I’m telling you.”

Johnny arched an eyebrow but smiled back. “Selling your couch as the best of the best? I better not wake up with my back aching, then.”

He chuckled, shaking his head as he went back to his food, trying to think of other conversations they could have when Johnny spoke once more.

“And how did you end up here?” Johnny asked, looking him in the eyes. “Like no offense, but you don’t look exactly like a lighthouse keeper.”

“What do I look like?” 

Johnny looked at him for a few seconds, then answered. “A dad, actually.”

“Oh, come on…”

“I never said that’s a bad thing!” He defended. “You look like someone who likes… I don’t know. Being with family, go to places, take some sunshine… shit like that.”

He grimaced. “You think so?”

“Mhm.” He looked at the food again. “You also look dorky.”

“You’re a dick.” Daniel arched an eyebrow. “You look like you were a problematic child growing up.”

Johnny nodded. “Absolutely.” He said, taking a bite of food. He swallowed after a while and looked at Daniel. “I would have eaten your dorky ass for breakfast.”

“Not so fast!” Daniel arched an eyebrow. “I have to inform you, I wasn’t a nerd. I was sort of a jock. And a karate champion! Everyone loved me.”

The man arched an eyebrow, looking at him for long seconds before going for another bite. They stayed in silence again, Daniel wondered if what he’d said was too cocky or unbelievable.

“You know karate?” He asked after a while, taking a sip of his drink with his eyes glued to Daniel’s face. 

“Yeah, it was a big deal for me.” He sighed. “Actually—the old keeper of this lighthouse was my friend, he taught me everything about it,” Daniel started, watching as Johnny swallowed and left his glass on the table, “about life, and about karate—he was like a father to me.”

He nodded but there weren’t any words.

“You still practice it?”

Daniel laughed at the idea. He was a fifty-one years old divorced lighthouse keeper, karate wasn’t exactly something in his mind nowadays. Though, he missed it—had missed it for the longest time while married, and then Mr. Miyagi passed away and many, many things passed too.

“No.”

“Mhm.” Johnny nodded. “Too bad.”

“Why?” He held his chin in one hand, looking at his guest. “You’re gonna tell me you did karate as a kid too?”

Johnny arched an eyebrow. “I’m a karate sensei, actually.”

A gasp echoed the table, followed by Johnny’s soft laugh as Daniel felt his face warmth.

Was all this real? Or was the sea finally playing games on him, forcing him to create a perfect person to talk to when he’s most lonely at the tail of his staying in the lighthouse? The blonde kept eating, Daniel smiled at him and hoped he didn’t look as fascinated as he was feeling.

Johnny moved his head to one side. “Don’t look at me like that, you’re making me feel like I should spend the night at the boat.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, it’s just—It’s a bit weird, I guess? These coincidences.”

“It doesn’t end there.” Johnny said in a murmur, looking down. “So… My sensei was like a father to me, too. A shitty one at that, by the way. It… cost me a while to get rid of him. I still feel him around sometimes…” He blinked, still not looking at Daniel. “I named my dojo exactly as his. It’s odd, I don’t know how to explain it.”

“It’s okay…” Daniel swallowed, wishing he had better words for this moment. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright.” He sighed, blinked and then looked at him. “So. These are delicious!”

Daniel smiled at him, the change of theme was obvious and silly, but it made him feel welcomed into the conversation again.

“What are we gonna do if I can't get to land tomorrow?” Johnny asked after a while as they cleaned up the table and left the used plates on the sink. “I already fixed everything around!”

“We’ll think of something…” Daniel sighed. “But right now, you clean the dishes.”

“Hey,” He said, Daniel looked at him with an arched eyebrow. “Why me?”

“Because the one that cooks doesn’t do the cleaning! Rules of the house.” Daniel answered, gently pushing Johnny to the sink. “Plus, I gotta do some lighthouse keeper duties at the tower.”

Johnny nodded, looking down at the sink. There was something in his demeanor that told Daniel there was something he wasn’t saying. Sighing, he patted on Johnny’s shoulder.

“What?”

Johnny looked at him. “Nothing.” He cleared his throat, letting the water fall. “I just… I would like to see the inside of the tower, I guess.”

“You’re a kid.” Daniel rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. “Alright. I’ll get a raincoat for you while you are done over here.”

The man smiled at him from ear to ear, truly like a child. It made his heart hurt nicely.

“There’s a problem, though.” Johnny said. “My shoes are ruined…”

“Uhm.” Daniel looked down at his feet. He was only wearing socks. “You can use the other keeper’s boots, maybe. Let me fetch them for you.”

“Okay.” He sounded excited like a child.

“Yeah, I don’t think my shoes may fit…” He frowned. “You’ve big feet!”

Johnny closed his eyes for long seconds, as if he was stopping himself from saying something—It made Daniel frown, moving his head to one side.

The man opened his eyes and nodded, smiling at him weirdly.

“What?” Daniel asked.

“It’s nothing…” Johnny chuckled. “Really.”

He looked at the man for a couple of seconds more before leaving, wondering what was so funny about bug fe—

“Oh my God.” Daniel turned to look at the man again, Johnny was trying hard not to laugh. “You’re—you’re a fucking teenager.”

“Man,” Johnny laughed, eyes on his hands as he cleaned Daniel’s plate, “you make a dick joke when they tell you your feet are big, it’s a rule.”

“Sure, yeah. As if your dick would—“

Not there. Daniel closed his mouth, feeling his cheeks hurt with how warm they were. Johnny looked at him with amusement.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say shit!” Johnny answered.

Daniel shook his head, pocking Johnny on the ribs and making his gaso before leaving. 

_ Dickhead _ .

* * *

The Lighthouse itself was dark and cold, just as deep as the open sea had seemed when Johnny looked at it as they walked towards the tower.

In the darkness, the waves crashed against the rocky shore and the dock in a wild way he had never seen before. Even though he had grown up in a beach town, the sea here was free and they were its guests.

“Careful where you step.” Daniel said. Johnny took off the raincoat and left it at the entrance like the man had done. “Come on, it’s a long way to the top.”

“Jesus…” Johnny looked up, the spiral form of the stairs made him feel dizzy. He wondered if he’ll be able to make it. But the man was already running up. “Wait!”

“What?” He looked back at him, steps ahead. “Scared of the dark?”

He shook his head. “You little shit.”

They went up between small chat and silence, stopping just once to look through one of the widows in the middle.

“When the sky is clear, you can see the dock’s light. The ships in there…” He moved his head to one side. “Home.” Daniel sighed. “You’ll see it in the morning when the sun is up.”

“I hope so…” Johnny said, following the man upstairs. “I really don’t want to lose the weekend with Robby.”

“Robby?”

He blinked. “My son.”

Daniel said nothing, just kept walking with him behind. 

It was exhausting. Way too many steps, too high for his liking. But he’ll be caught dead before admitting it to this little twerp.

“What about your kids?” He asked after a while, Daniel looked back for a few seconds, then kept walking. It made him frown. “LaRusso?”

“With their mother in Boston.” He answered. “We—we got divorced five years ago and, at first, they stayed in town but eventually… they wanted to go back home, and they moved to Boston.”

“Damn.” He murmured, slowing down when the man did. “I’m sorry.”

Daniel shook his head, looking back at him. “It’s fine. I see them often when I’m not here, it’s okay…”

“So you aren’t here all year long.” 

He shook his head again and smiled, grabbing at the sweater Johnny was wearing and pulling him into walking fast again. Johnny licked his lips, following him up until they made it to the top where the man opened a door, and let them in into a metallic bridge around the huge lantern.

“This is the gallery.” Daniel explained. “Before, the keepers used to live in the tower. You remember those rooms we passed? Those were their quarters—but it was difficult for the older keepers to live in these conditions… the stairs and the dark…” He sighed. “The house I live in was built in the 70s, and we’ve kept it up ever since…”

Johnny nodded, more entertained by the patterns of the bridge and the panels on the lantern than anything else. 

The light burned his eyes if he stared at it for too long but he couldn’t help it. Even protected by the panels, it was—it was beautiful, spellbound.

Daniel kept his history class on the keepers and their doings, when and why this lighthouse was built and for how long it had stood in this island all the while Johnny walked around and looked through the tall crystals of the gallery.

“Holy shit…” He couldn’t help but said as he looked down, then back at the sea— _ Jesus _ . “This is amazing.”

The keeper chuckled behind him, Johnny looked back to find him very close. He followed Daniel with his eyes as he stood at his side, sighing at the view: the deep black sea with its equally infinite and dark sky, the rain falling down in front of them—calmer now, but never ending.

“Yeah.” Daniel said. “It is.”

Johnny blinked, looking at his profile.

This man was… handsome. 

He had a strong jaw and the cutest nose. There was something about his face, the coquettish way he moved his eyebrows and lips, his cocky expressions—had Johnny met him in a bar, he wouldn’t hesitate to try  _ something _ .

“I like being here.” Daniel suddenly said. “It makes being alone worth it.” 

There were a few things happening here that Johnny couldn’t explain as easily as lust-at-first-sight as he had thought before. Because, really—this dude was hot.

But the pressure in his chest and the mess in Daniel’s room, that was different. Farther apart, but still part of it. Johnny looked at him from the corner of his eyes, licking his lips as he thought of what was happening—

He didn’t like the unmade bed and messy room, he knew exactly what it meant. And it wasn’t that he thought him less for it, just that—Daniel, to him, didn’t seem like someone that should be alone. He didn’t seem like someone who belonged in this darkness, in this sadness.

“You think I’m weird.” Daniel said, Johnny looked down. “It’s fine. I’m a lighthouse keeper, we must be weird to get the job.”

Johnny chuckled, pushing Daniel with his hips. The man laughed alike, looking at him. They smiled at each other before Johnny sighed.

“How did you end up here?”

“Well,” Daniel swallowed visibly. “Well…”

It was warm in here, especially compared to the rest of the tower and the house. The lantern’s light didn’t burn but it kept the gallery warm enough to gather sweat on Johnny’s forehead.

Daniel walked away, to the control’s panel of the lantern, visibly avoiding Johnny and the question while still doing the job he said he needed to do here anyway. 

He sighed.

“My dad died when I was a kid. Mom and I moved a lot because she was always in search of a better job, better opportunities…” He opened the panel, looking inside. “We landed here when I was a teen, got in trouble quite a lot and Mr. Miyagi, the lighthouse keeper, took me in to teach me karate—you know that part of the story already.”

He went quiet for a few seconds, finishing what he was doing then closing the panel again.

The name was familiar, though Johnny had no idea from where.

“I love this place, it reminds me of those days.” Daniel said. “When Mr. Miyagi got sick, I wanted to come back—be near, you know?” He turned around. “But it wasn’t possible. I have a business with my ex-wife, our kids had a life in there… and then he passed away.”

Johnny blinked. Daniel licked his lips and slowly walked towards Johnny.

“I felt—guilty. That I wasn’t here.” He said quietly. “Alongside other things we never took care of, it destroyed my marriage and eventually…” He signaled around. “I came here to take a break, see the town, the lighthouse. The chance came right away—they needed another keeper. And I learned from the best. Soooo… I needed the comfort of being away, and I found it here. Home.”

_ Then why are you so sad?  _

He wanted to ask him a lot of things but he had no excuses as to why he cared. So Johnny nodded and smiled slightly when the man stood in front of him.

“Of course, the problem is that… I don’t see my kids that much.” He chuckled without humor, looking away. “I don’t think they like me very much anyway…”

“Uhm. Tell me about it.” Johnny sighed. “Kids are hard, man… and wait until they become teenagers—you really gotta have your shit all together to be a real good parent. I don’t know how others do it.”

“Yeah.”

They stayed in silence for the next few minutes as Daniel worked on other things and Johnny walked around looking into every corner and window that called his attention. 

“How old is your son?” Daniel asked from the gallery as Johnny walked around the control windows a few floors down.

“He’s eighteen!” Johnny answered.

They stayed in silence again. This time, Johnny waited until Daniel was done in the control’s room and turned off the gallery’s light, leaving only the lantern to guide his way to Johnny.

When he’d been young, he liked to see the light from the town at night. It seemed surreal that someone would dedicate their life to bright someone else’s way home. 

Every day, every night.

But in here, time seemed to still. He felt it as he walked in and went around fixing things. It had felt longer than it had been, but it had also passed quickly as he distracted himself with every small broken corner.

Daniel looked at him in the semi-dark, smiling.

“My daughter will be eighteen in October.” He sighed. “I also have a very loud and lazy twelve-year-old kid.”

He snorted, shaking his head as they started to walk downstairs. “Your place must be a mess.”

“Boy, is it ever!” He laughed, then sighed deeply. “I miss them.”

“I know.”

It was true. 

They may not know each other but Johnny knew that feeling. Being away from your kid—that was—pain was a constant in his life, a long time ago he had accepted that. But even now that Robby had given Johnny another chance, he could never get used to the pain of being away from his son.

Daniel smiled at him when their eyes met again, and Johnny followed him downstairs saying nothing for the rest of the trip down. 

It was easier to step down than going up, it felt even quicker, and by the time Johnny and Daniel were standing in the lobby, the rain had become stronger and the two of them stayed still looking at the door with a sense of doom.

“Well,” Daniel started, “we can stay here until it calms down—”

Right after he said so, the power went down. All there was with them was the lantern of the Lighthouse and Daniel’s sigh.

“Or we can make a run to the house and count our blessings if we don’t make a bad step and die.”

He snorted, shaking his head while taking the raincoat Daniel had given him. “Come on, don’t be so dramatic.”

“I mean it—” The man put on his. “Accidents happen all the time. We gotta be careful.”

“Man,” Johnny stepped in, opening the door and shaking his head at the wild of the wind and the rain. “Live a little!”

If the man said anything else, Johnny couldn’t hear it once they stepped into the rain. 

He saw the moment the power came back, the house’s windows illuminated as they walked back in the dark. Johnny looked back to where Daniel had just catched up with him after closing the lighthouse’s doors, the man smiled at him with a hand holding the hoodie of his raincoat up his head.

“What?” He yelled in the rain.

“You better have hot water, I swear to God—”

“Shut up and keep walking!” Daniel pushed him, making Johnny laugh as they walked side by side.

The smell of salt and wet dirt surrounded him, the warmth of Daniel at his side as they approached the back door of his home reminded him he was alive and the water coming down the sky was cold.

Johnny shivered once inside, big drops of water pooling at his feet as Daniel took off his raincoat and sighed loudly. He looked at the man standing in front of him, blinking as he followed a drop of water slide down Daniel’s jaw onto his neck.

“Johnny?”

With a finger, he stopped it. He moved his finger up, gathering the water until he threw it aside. 

Daniel’s eyes were wide open when Johnny looked up, but none of them said a word. They stayed in the poor light of the kitchen; Johnny with a hand on Daniel’s neck and the other holding his bicep, the man slowly looking down at his chest. 

He moved forward, hands going to where his eyes were glued.

Johnny was sure the bucket under the leak in the hallway was almost full. 

He could hear the drops falling in the water as well as he heard the rain, the waves crashing in the shore, the engine of the fridge in the kitchen, Daniel’s breathing as he undid his raincoat and helped Johnny out of it.

For the life of him, he had no idea why it wasn’t awkward.

Because boy, it should be. 

This stranger helping him out his clothes, looking up at him with a neutral expression as if making sure he was alright. And he was, Johnny realized as Daniel left the cloth alongside his, slowly looking up at Johnny again. 

He was absolutely fine with all this.

“Did you like the tour?” Daniel asked, voice soft like velvet.

Johnny only nodded, blinking as the man smiled at him.

“We should get a hot shower.” He suggested. “There’s only one shower, so—”

He shoved the man aside, running towards the stairs with Daniel’s indignated gasp in the back.

“Dick!” Daniel said, finally following.

The keeper was fast. 

He catched up with Johnny in the stairs, pushing him away like a kid and making him laugh louder than he had lately. But Johnny  _ was  _ a dick after all, and took him by his wet sweater, throwing him away from the door as they approached the room.

“No, no, no—” Daniel ran towards him again, Johnny looked back with a smug smile. “Come on!”

“I’m the guest!” Johnny reminded him as he took off his shoes and Daniel entered the room. “Be a good host and wait!”

“You’re a kid, that’s what you are!” He said with a big smile. “And you filled my room with water!”

“Look who's talking!” He answered, taking off Daniel’s sweater he’d been wearing. “Listen, LaRusso—”

But he was not listening.

Johnny looked down at his own chest, goosebumps filling his skin as he was made aware of the coldness of this place—of the warm of the eyes on him. 

The man looked at his chest, Johnny followed his eyes to his right peck where his mother’s name rested. 

He licked his lips, looking up at Daniel who was clearing his throat, and looking away as fast as he could.

He chuckled.

“Don’t be silly,” Johnny said, clearing his throat after his voice had sounded so small, “haven’t you seen another man shirtless?”

Daniel said nothing for a while. He had turned away, going through his clothes as Johnny entered the bathroom and tried to guess where the hot water was and if it meant he could take his shower—if this little game was over and it was finally going to be awkward.

“Not in a long time.” Daniel murmured, Johnny looked at him but the man was still giving his back to him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“I’m not.” He admitted. And he really wasn’t. Daniel looked back at him. “So, uhm—the hot water…”

“Yeah.” The man laughed, walking into the bathroom with him. “Let me show you.”

* * *

He had no idea what had gotten into him there in the kitchen, then in the bedroom, but Daniel needed to calm down and stop thinking about—what was he thinking of?

Abs at their age, ocean blue eyes looking into his, tattoos he wanted to know the meaning of, strong hands holding him—

Johnny’s touch lingered on his neck, on his biceps. 

Daniel sighed as he left the clothes he was borrowing to the man on his bed and walked out, reminding himself he shouldn’t—he shouldn’t be acting like this.

This guy was only looking for shelter, not for a lonely lighthouse keeper that hasn’t been into someone in a very long time. Hell, he wasn’t even sure this man was into dudes.

He distracted himself downstairs, making sure to change the bucket under the hallway’s leak and looking into the power’s panel to assure himself they weren’t going to be left in the dark while sleeping.

After, he put more locks into the fire—Johnny was supposed to sleep here in the living room, on the larger couch. He knew this place was humid and cold, he hoped the fire and the covers he had left on the couch already were enough.

“LaRusso?” He heard from upstairs, Daniel looked up by instinct. “The clothes on the bed…?”

“For you!” Daniel said. “Tell me if you need anything else!”

“Okay!”

The bedroom’s door closed and Daniel swallowed, willing himself to not think of Johnny wearing his clothes and how he was bigger in such a visibly way—but the seed was there, the thoughts had nested in his head and Daniel’s cheeks felt warmth as another involuntary thought came to him.

Was the early feet joke maybe true? 

He shook his head.

Upstairs, the door opened again and Daniel sighed. At least he could shower now and take his mind off this bullshit—or maybe give himself a hand, calm down at least.

They met on the stairs and Daniel couldn’t help but look him up and down with a smile, his clothes still small on Johnny, but at least he looked cozy after his shower.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah.” Johnny sighed. “Thanks, by the way. I’m probably the last thing you expected this weekend.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. But it’s not a bad thing at all.” Daniel looked at his face, Johnny’s cheeks were pink.  _ Adorable _ . “It’s nice to have someone else around.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I—I left a comforter and other covers on the couch. It gets really cold downstairs at night, and with this rain—it may be worse. The fire is still going, but if you get too cold, you can come upstairs for more covers or something.”

“Sure.” Johnny said. He cleared his throat. “You’re going to bed already?”

“I’m taking a shower, then coming down to do a few things and… yeah, I’m going to bed.”

“You’re an old man.” Johnny arched an eyebrow, Daniel rolled his eyes. “Hey—don’t roll those eyes at me, they’re so big it feels like they’ll fall off if you keep doing that!”

“Ugh,” Daniel shook his head, shoving his closed fist into Johnny’s shoulder. It only made him laugh louder. “Fuck off, you asshole.”

He kept walking upstairs, Johnny going downstairs. When he reached the top, Daniel looked back to find Johnny looking up at him from the bottom.

“I’m gonna call my son.” He said. “Make sure he’s okay…”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Daniel nodded. “I’ll be downstairs in a second.”

“Okay.”

His room was warm when he entered and closed the door behind him. Daniel swallowed, quickly undressing as he tried to ignore the clothes hanging on his bathroom, the feeling of someone else in here—

The hot water felt like a blessing, falling on his shoulders gently and making him sigh deeply as he let himself enjoy the sensation with closed eyes.

“Okay…” 

Thoughtlessly, Daniel moved a hand to touch his right shoulder, massaging it before his fingers lingered behind—the mark there always calmed him, made him company in the strangest of ways. 

Love you to the Moon and to Saturn, and his eyes were opening, sighing softly as he blinked a couple of times, the memory of his friend, Harry or Henry, whatever his name was now—

Daniel caressed his tattoo again and swallowed.

He looked up with closed eyes again, mind finally blank as water went down his face. 

“Good.”

As he cleaned, he thought of the day and if tomorrow they’ll have sun and Johnny would go. The waves were still crashing outside, rain still falling—there was a huge chance the answer was no, and he couldn’t help but feel for him.

His son was waiting and here he was, wasting time with the lonely lighthouse keeper.

Daniel cleared his throat, looking down at his feet.

Was it truly a waste of time? Johnny seemed to like him, at least thought him funny. His jokes while doing dinner, his eyes on him in the lighthouse, his finger on Daniel, hans around his arm—

He swallowed.

Downstairs, this magnetic man was wearing Daniel’s clothes and smelling of him—his soap, his shampoo. 

He had gone around fixing all Daniel was too lazy to attend, and now he was probably laying on his couch, making that living room his.

Daniel took a deep breath, trying to ignore his own reactions. 

If he—if he took care of that now, could he keep up with the rest of the word without problem? It had been a while since he was into a guy, he had almost forgotten the hell it was to admit it to himself in the past.

This didn’t feel like hell, thought—John didn’t feel like hell.

* * *

“Are you sure you’re safe?” Robby repeated, making Johnny’s heart hurt. “The weather lady said it looks like the storm may pass sometime tomorrow but the sea may still be a mess, you know?”

“I know, I’m okay.” Johnny answered. “I’m not that far from land, like I said—“

“I know. The Lighthouse.” The kid sighed. “We can see the light from the bedroom’s window…  _ I _ . I can see the light.”

Johnny snorted, shaking his head.

“Hey, you think I was born yesterday?” He made a tsk sound with his tongue. “Look… just be careful. Please?”

There wasn’t an immediate answer like before. Johnny wondered for a second if he had ruined it all with his son once again, until Robby sighed and cleared his throat on the phone.

“Sorry.” Robby said. “I swear, nothing’s happening—I just thought she shouldn’t sleep alone anyway.”

“Mhm, I know.” He’d been a boy in love for the first time, too. 

In this town, actually. 

But unlike Johnny, Sid and his mother hadn’t let him bring Ali when they’d been together—bringing Moon had felt like the right thing to do at the time. 

The beach house had four rooms, it was ridiculous. Nothing would happen, and now…

“I’m not gonna pretend like I have any right to give you The Talk,” Johnny said, Robby groaned on the other side and he could swear he heard Moon’s laugh somewhere behind him, “but you’re still my son and the two of you are still so young, so…”

“Look, I know!”

“I’m just saying, don’t get yourself in things the two of you may not be ready for. Just wear a condom. Please.”

“Oh my God, dad! Jesus Christ—“

He couldn’t help the smile on his face at the sound of it. 

_ Dad _ always sounded good on Robby’s lips and it wasn’t often he got to hear it from his son without a hint of anger or sarcasm. 

This was too good, he couldn’t ruin it again—if Shannon found out he had left their son unsupervised in a house with his girlfriend, she may as well kill him.

But she didn’t have to find out, not soon at least. Johnny was sure this was the last thing Robby wanted his mother to know anyway.

“We’ll be fine!” Robby incisted, this time he was sure he heard Moon laughing in the back. “You stop that!” He heard from afar, Robby had left the phone aside to call out his girlfriend. “Stop!”

Johnny shook his head, sighing when the boy returned to the phone.

“Are you sure you’re not with a serial killer?”

He shook his head, thinking of Daniel’s pink cheeks and child-like wonder in his big eyes, the firm yet slim feeling of his arms under Johnny’s hands, the warmth of his skin on his finger.

“Yeah, you should see this guy…” Johnny looked at the stairs, making sure his host wasn’t about to hear him call him a— “he’s a little shit, kinda weird… but, like—like Uncle Tommy? In a cute way.”

“In a  _ cute  _ way?” Robby repeated, sounding like he couldn’t believe it. “Dad? Do  _ I _ have to worry about you sleeping in the same house as some cute guy?”

“Shut the hell up, kid.” Johnny groaned, Robby laughed on the phone and the sound of it took away whatever annoyance he was feeling. “I never said he was cute, I—”

“You totally said he was cute.” The boy said, chuckling. “I can  _ hear _ you’re blushing, oh my God!”

“Robby—”

“You use protection, alright? Abstinence it’s a better practice if there’s no condoms—”

“I’m hanging up, and you’re also grounded for life after this.”

Robby laughed harder and now he couldn't hang up. 

He stayed there, sitting on the floor near the fireplace, listening to Robby laugh like a little maniac. And Johnny could imagine the scene, the way his son closed his eyes and wrinkled his nose while laughing—

His little girlfriend looking at him as they sat together watching TV on the bed, wondering what Johnny had said or did now to have Robby laughing like this at 10 PM during a storm. 

Johnny sighed, shaking his head with a smile.

“Pup,” He called him, Robby started to calm down. “Come on, pup…”

“You’re still calling me that.” He said, swallowing.

“Yeah, never stopped.” Johnny sighed, unsure if he wanted to have this conversation on the phone. 

“Okay.” The boy said, clearing his throat. “For real, be careful. You don’t know that guy.”

“Mhm.” Johnny answered, looking up when he heard a door open. “It’s fine, I swear. Spaghetti arms won’t hurt me.”

Robby giggled into the phone, making Johnny sigh as Daniel came down stairs in a baggy blue sweater and grey pants. He couldn’t help but smile.

_ Cute _ .

“Sleep well, dad. Hopefully I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yeah, I hope so.” He sighed, Daniel walked towards him and slowly sat down in front. “Take care, and be careful. I don’t want to be a grandfather yet!”

“Jesus—“ He heard an exasperated sigh. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, old man.”

“I mean it!”

Daniel smiled at him. His hair was still damp from the shower, It slightly stuck to his forehead and ears, making Johnny smile at the almost cozy look it gave him. 

“Bye, dad. Good night—” He heard a voice behind him, Robby returned to the speaker. “Moon says good night, too.”

“Good night to the two of you. Sleep well.”

He hung up after Robby did. 

Johnny sighed, looking at the screen of his smart-phone. Miguel and Robby smiled at him while holding their first and second place trophies from this year’s tournament, his little sister Claire between them with her huge sunny smile. 

It had been one of the most stressful days of Johnny’s life, but at the end the kids have surprised him by being way more mature than he ever gave them credit for. At the end, the one learning lessons was him.

Johnny sighed, leaving the phone aside and looking at the keeper.

“How is he?” Daniel asked.

“Honestly? Johnny arched an eyebrow at him. “I think he’s actually happy I’m not around.” The man frowned. “Did I mention his girlfriend came with us?”

“Oh boy…”

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “I mean—to be honest, the two of them are responsible kids. But still… kids.”

“Well,” Daniel sighed, “hopefully you’ll be able to make it back to the shore tomorrow.”

For a second, he looked up. The rain was still going strong outside, hitting the house with that sound that used to make him sleep as a child. In here, it echoed louder and closer than in Sid’s house; it was almost intimate.

“Yeah…” Johnny sighed. “You got a daughter, right?” The man nodded. “How did you deal with boyfriends? I always wanted a daughter but honestly… I think I would’ve gone mad if I did.”

The man laughed, making the wrinkles around his eyes more noticeable against the light of the fire. Johnny took a deep breathe, bathing in the sound of him and the image in front of, thinking maybe this wasn’t so bad after all—

Daniel LaRusso seemed like out of a folk song: a lonely lighthouse keeper who basked in the light of his tower, laughing and smiling at whatever real interaction he could have with anyone else—just to not be alone, just to not fall insane.

If Johnny had met him as a boy, maybe his days in town wouldn’t have been so lonely. Maybe tonight would’ve been different.

But alas, they didn’t. 

They were two men with different stories that somehow felt alike, and tonight, they kept each other company.

“I just… try not to think much of it.” He sighed.”Though the first time she brought home a guy, I may have behaved like an idiot.”

“May?”

“Okay, I behaved like an idiot.” Daniel cleared his throat. “But I was right! That kid was bad news, he should’ve never even looked in Sam’s direction.”

Sam. 

Johnny smiled at him, imagining that—if he had a daughter, he wanted to believe he may have been able to handle a boy in his house as well as he did his son’s relationship. Sure, he’d have doubts and the protectiveness would be there as it was with his son, with Miguel and every kid in Cobra Kai… 

But maybe he wouldn’t. 

Maybe Johnny would look at the boy badly and show him every trophy and certification from his long years doing karate and now teaching it, and maybe his daughter would look at him even worse, but she’d be safe, protected.

Daniel sighed. “She went to college recently, and it was… kind of hard. To let her go.” He admitted. “Don’t get me wrong, I love both my kids with my entire heart, I could never choose between them, but—my relationship with Sam is different.” 

“Yeah? She’s daddy’s princess?”

His face went red. Even in the dark and in front of the fire, Johnny could see it. Daniel nodded.

“She was an only daughter for a long time, and we used to do karate together before…” His mouth closed with a soft sound, Johnny blinked a couple of times. “After my mentor passed away, it was difficult for everyone.”

“I can imagine.” Johnny said, clearing his throat and quickly thinking of what to say next. 

The man had his eyes on his feet, fingers playing with his socks. Johnny nudged his feet with his, making Daniel look up with a small frown.

“I have a student, Miguel—he went to college recently, too. He’s like a son to me, he was my first student and all.” He sighed. “I miss him every day, and it’s only been a couple of weeks. Sometimes I have to stop myself from calling him daily.”

Daniel smiled at him. “Oh no, Sam has to endure me calling her daily. I can’t stop myself at all.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Oh, so you are that kind of daddy.”

“Stop that!” He frowned, Johnny bit his bottom lip. “Ugh, it’s everything a dirty joke to you?”

“Hey, you were the one who turned that into a dirty joke.” Johnny reminded him. He swallowed and smirked his way. “I wasn’t even thinking of that. But good to know you think of those daddies, too.”

“Shut up!” Daniel laughed between nervousness and amusement.

There was something there, something interesting. 

Johnny wondered if he made a move, would Daniel respond as he have so far—that number in the kitchen, this and so much more—maybe Robby was right in worrying about his old man being stupid for a night or two.

“What’s your girlfriend gonna say, LaRusso?” He asked, looking at his reaction for some answers beyond this. 

He shook his head no. “No girlfriend, no.”

“Boyfriend then?”

Daniel looked up at him, then smiled. “Also no. No.” Johnny nodded, the keeper sighed. “What about you? I don’t think your girlfriend would like to know what a flirt you’ve been today!”

_ Flirt _ . 

Johnny arched an eyebrow and smiled, mostly to himself—because aha, there it was. The answer he was actually looking for. 

The man seemed to notice, biting his bottom lip as if trying to stop himself from talking again.

Johnny shook his head. “No girlfriend or boyfriend either.” He answered. “So hey, you’re the jealous type?”

He blushed right away again. “I’m not! No—”

“Mhm.” Johnny smiled at him. “I’m messing with you, man. Don’t take that shit too seriously.”

But it was out there, this tension and those eyes on his. 

Johnny took a deep breath and watched as the man unfolded his leg, carefully massaging his knee. A soft goran left his lips and Johnny frowned.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just…” He looked up. “Old injury.”

“Uhm.” He moved closer, looking where Daniel’s hands were. “What happened?”

“I—car accident. Real bad one.” He answered, Johnny looked up. “It’s nothing, it will pass.”

“Okay.” He cleared his throat and moved his hands to Daniel’s knee. “Lay down, let me—”

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you, clearly.” He answered, arching an eyebrow at the very confused man. “Look, I deal with this kind of shit from hyper-active kids daily. Lay down.”

Slowly, Daniel listened to him and did as told, keeping his eyes on Johnny as he kneeled on the floor between his legs.

He held Daniel’s leg high, almost over his shoulder. 

Johnny concentrated on massaging the knee with his free hand, firmly moving his hand over the material of Daniel’s pants.

He left the man’s leg rest on his shoulder, moving his other hand to the affected zone as well.

Johnny looked down, Daniel was looking up with almost awe and he couldn’t help but smile. 

Because he had pretty eyes. Big like a cute Disney cartoon, but also because his lips were slightly parted and the way his chest went up and down was almost hypnotising to the point he wasn’t sure how long he spent massaging Daniel’s knee while looking him in the eyes.

“How does it feel now?” He asked in a murmur, afraid of breaking the little spell they were under.

“Better.” Daniel answered alike. He blinked. “You’re good at this.”

“Mhm.” He smiled down at him, holding his leg again. “I am a handyman after all.”

“Ugh.”

He saw him roll his eyes, round cheeks red again. And maybe Johnny was liking this way too much. He held his leg there for a few more seconds, the sight of him under Johnny an interesting image he was liking even more.

Carefully, Johnny let go of him, crawling to lay down at his side, enjoying his warmth and the fire’s. They stayed there in silence, looking at the ceiling.

“I should give you my bed.” Daniel murmured after seconds of silence. “You’re traveling back to shore tomorrow, you need to be well rested.”

“Nah.” Johnny assured him. “The couch’s fine.”

“It’s small…”

“It’s fine.”

Johnny could feel Daniel’s eyes on him, but he kept his in the ceiling that needed to be painted again. 

They were so close, the man’s breathing hit his face and Johnny swallowed, feeling his skin fill with goosebumps.

“Okay.” Daniel accepted at the end. 

They stayed in silence for a few seconds, then Johnny moved his arm, laying at Daniel’s side, their fingers brushing slightly.

“So, you’re from Boston?” He asked.

Daniel cleared his throat. “No.” He said. “I’m from Newark, New Jersey.”

“Mmm.” Johnny expressed. “That explains the accent, I guess.”

The man laughed, making Johnny smile at this side. Goosebumps raised through his body as his fingers brushed his for longer than necessary as the man laughed and god—what the hell was happening to him?

“What about you?” Daniel asked him. “I bet you come from some big city. Somewhere hot since just a tiny rain made you shiver.”

“Shut up.” Johnny groaned. “California, you asshole.”

When Johnny looked at Daniel, he was smiling. It made his stomach feel light and hard at the same time. 

Daniel looked at him, at his face, or long seconds after. And then, they were just looking into each other’s eyes.

Ocean blue, ocean night.

The man looked away with red cheeks, clearing his throat. Johnny blinked slowly, heart hammering in his chest. What had just happened?

“I should—I should let you sleep, John.”

He looked back almost immediately, weirded out in a strangely good way for the way Daniel had said his name. 

No one, not even his mother, ever called him that.

“I—yeah, okay.”

The man stood up slowly as Johnny followed his lead. They looked at each other in the middle of the living room without saying a word, like kids saying good night after their first date.

Daniel cleared his throat. “Well, good night.”

“Good night.” He answered. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

The man looked up with that small and pretty smile of his. “See you in the morning, John.”

* * *

It was cold. 

Johnny had fixed the heating, but Daniel was still cold and for the third time that night, he stood. He changed the level. Paced around for a bit. Got back into bed and put all the covers around himself, becoming a human burrito that couldn’t sleep.

All he had in his head was the man downstairs and how they seemed to understand each other with little words and nods. The way he frustrated him and made him want to yell at him, but at the same time had him smiling and laughing like he hadn’t in a long time.

Of course—Daniel was a goddamn adult, he could admit it to himself—the fact that he was so damn attractive didn’t help his case either.

He bit his bottom lip, wondering if downstairs felt as cold as here.

Maybe he should—no.

He stood up. Checked the heating. Paced around. And went back to bed.

Daniel faced the ceiling as he thought it better.

What if he went downstairs and convinced Johnny to come here and share the bed? It was what he wanted to tell him when he offered the bed anyway—it wasn’t the biggest mattress, but the two of them could fit well enough while facing different sides.

He stood up. Checked the heating. Paced around—and went to the door.

* * *

Johnny had heard the door open and he immediately closed his eyes.

He’d been hearing the man upstairs moving around every now and then, and he had tried to understand what could’ve been happening there—and now, there were careful steps on the stairs, and then in the living room.

Fingers touched his forehead, moving the hair from it gently.

Then, Daniel talked.

“Johnny?” He murmured. “Hey, John—wake up.”

“Uhm,” He pretended to awake, blinking as he looked up. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Do—” Daniel swallowed visibly. “Aren’t you cold here?”

It was cold. The couch wasn’t all that great either. 

Daniel talked before he could answer. “Come to the bed.”

“No, I told you it’s okay—”

“We can share it.” He said, Johnny’s heart started to beat fast. “It’s—it’s big, we fit perfectly.” Daniel sighed. “Come on, it’s just one night…”

He could sleep on a bed, with the heating on.

No one would ever know about this anyway.

“Okay.”

Johnny stood, ignoring the way Daniel was looking nice and cozy with his comforter on his shoulders again, or how his hair was a mess and it made him look ridiculously adorable even now.

The man moved to turn off the fire, not before looking Johnny up and down, eyes blatantly staying for seconds longer on his uncovered legs and—he was using this man’s underwear. In what fantasy from his twenties had Johnny landed? 

He bit his bottom lip, deciding to leave the uncomfortably tight pants and just walk downstairs, into Daniel’s unmade bed that was probably warm and had a great view of the sky when it wasn’t raining.

“Come on.” He heard the man murmur once they were in complete darkness, the fire off.

Johnny followed him into his room, awkwardly got into bed after him, each on their side, back to back, laying there in the silence with Daniel’s detergent, pinewood and wet dirt smell surrounding them.

“Good night, John.” Daniel said again.

“Night.”

But sleep didn’t come to him so easily.

Johnny tossed on the bed for several minutes, maybe even an hour, while Daniel was weirdly very still. If he slowed down and listened, Johnny was sure he could hear his breathing, his clothes moving as his chest fell and went up.

A hand held his wrist gently and he turned to find Daniel slowly sitting on the bed.

“Sorry…” Johnny swallowed. “Did I wake you up?”

The man shook his head.

“I can’t sleep…”

It made him smile.

Johnny sat down on the bed as well, facing Daniel in the semi-dark, listening to the pouring rain, the engine of the lighthouse, the fridge in the kitchen, the leak in the hallway. 

Them moving in the bed.

“I’m sorry.” Daniel murmured. “I just—I haven’t shared a bed in a very long time.”

He couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, me neither.” He cleared his throat. “It’s okay. I can go back downstairs…”

The man took his wrist again, shaking his head no.

“Okay.”

Their silence was comfortable. So was Daniel’s hand on his wrist. None of them moved for long seconds, then Daniel was looking at him and slowly taking his hand away.

“Why did you come here, John?”

In another world, in another time, he would be giving shit to anyone asking such personal questions without knowing. But there was something in this man—it felt like he could trust him. 

Johnny didn’t have a way to explain it, but he knew it.

He cleared his throat and looked down at his folded legs.

“I needed to be alone.” He answered the easy answer. “I’ve been… having some strange weeks.”

“What do you mean?”

Johnny looked up with a smile. “Nosy.”

“Uh—” Daniel looked away. “Sorry…”

He shook his head.

“My… my shitty stepfather died weeks ago.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Johnny sighed. “We never had a good relationship.” He swallowed. “We hated each other, and we told each other so. But… but he left me half his money, the house where we lived when I was a kid, things I liked… and he left the beach house and the boat to my son.”

Daniel said nothing. Johnny looked at him for a few seconds to find him putting all his attention to him, genuinely listening. He swallowed again and blinked, his nose feeling funny.

He didn’t like it.

“I don’t understand why.” He chuckled humorlessly. “It said in the will he was leaving the money because he promised my mother before dying, but the rest of it—” He sighed. “He hated me, man. Why would he leave me all that if he hated me so much?”

The man waited for more and cleared his throat when it was evident Johnny was done.

He removed his hand from his wrist, but Johnny didn’t have to miss his touch long since his hand landed over his, gently.

“Whatever Hell that man gave you, it’s not you. And it’s not your fault either.” Daniel said, squeezing his hand. “Don’t feel bad for any of it. At least he did one thing right for you.”

Maybe.

“I wonder what moved him to do it.” Johnny admitted. “Is this charity because he believes me incapable of doing something by my own?”

He swallowed, then added: “Did he just… didn’t have anybody else? 

Johnny shook his head, knowing the answers of all his questions already but needed to voice them anyway. 

“It drives me crazy that I can’t know…” Johnny shook his head. “I spent most of my life away from him in all senses. I didn’t want to be him, and now I—I realized that I kind of tried—“

He swallowed, ghe itchy sensation in his throat and the burn of his nose making him incapable of speaking.

Johnny took a deep breath and tried again.

“The second I got the money, I got cards for the kids and wanted to buy them everything I could think of.” He confessed, feeling worse as he spoke. “Which is exactly what he did. He just… threw shit I didn’t want at me and then made me feel guilty for having it.”

He made a tsk sound with his tongue, closing his eyes as he scratched his forehead.

“The second I got money, I became him.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Wouldn’t be surprised if I start guilt tripping the boys next.”

Daniel took his hand, squeezing it gently again as he smiled at him.

“But you’re not gonna.” Daniel said.

Johnny looked at him, the man smiled.

“He’s gone, John.” He murmured. “Whatever he did to you, you didn’t deserve it. You deserved a real dad.” The man sighed. “But look… instead of dwelling on that, you’re trying to be a good dad. I’ve seen it.”

“No, you—”

“Yes, you do.” Daniel insisted. “You are worried about your kid, you brought him here in the first place during a weekend and that tells of your relationship with him, and even his girlfriend.” He sighed again. “I hear you talk to him, talk about him…”

Johnny blinked, Daniel was smiling so sweet, it was making his heart beat faster.

“Your eyes, your voice, all of your face changes when you talk of your… sons.” He chuckled. “I’m kind of jealous! I wish my son would be like yours is with you.” Daniel licked his lips. “He cares about you, he worries, travels with you… you’re doing fine.”

He blinked several times, feeling tears in his eyes as he looked down.

Johnny didn’t want to cry in front of this stranger. He cleared his throat and nodded, holding stronger onto Daniel’s hand.

“What are you gonna do with the money?”

“Ugh.” Johnny swallowed and looked up again, but not at Daniel at his side. “Like I said, I got credit cards for Miguel and Robby, I’m trying to convince Miguel’s mother to let me help with tuition.”

He cleared his throat and finally looked at Daniel.

“I’m moving my dojo to a better location…” He smiled. “And that’s it.” Johnny laughed. “I grew up pretending to be rich, and now… I’m not, but I’ve never had this much money in my life.”

Daniel nodded.

“My ex-wife and I have a car dealership business together.” He murmured. “We lost all our money to it when opening, but then… as the years passed, it was good. Really good.”

“You’re a rich guy?”

Daniel shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like one.”

“Not in here, no.”

He slapped his arm slightly, making Johnny laugh.

“Not what I mean—” The man said, sighing. “I mean… I grew up poor. Truly with nothing. I learned to work hard for everything and now… I feel like before the divorce, before Mr. Miyagi’s death…” 

The pause let Johnny know this was hard to talk about for the keeper.

He blinked, this time supporting his hand with a gentle squeeze that made Daniel smile.

“I become lazy.” Daniel confessed. “I loved having money, being respected. And then I divorced and came here… and suddenly, I was not part of that world anymore.”

Johnny nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

“I wasn’t like them anymore, so all my ‘friends’ disappeared from my life. No baseball games invitations, no free fine wine bottles, good cigarettes.” He sighed. “I went back to be nobody.”

“Well…” Johnny moved his head to one side. “I can tell you I like this version of you.” Johnny said after a while. “Sometimes it’s better to just be another guy in the world, living your every day. Trying.”

Daniel looked at him for long seconds, then smiled.

It was so bright and sweet, it almost hurt.

Johnny sighed.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Daniel said. “I know it wasn’t good, but—”

“Yeah.” Johnny nodded. “Thank you…” He sighed. “I’m sorry about your divorce.”

The man smiled again. “I survived it.”

And that was it, wasn’t it? Surviving. 

They talked for a few more minutes, now laying on their backs and looking at the ceiling like they were downstairs earlier that night.

He wasn’t sure who fell asleep first, what was the last thing they talked about, nothing—but Johnny slept well. 

For the first time in a while, he slept very well.

* * *

Daniel woke up with his back against Johnny’s side, the man’s arm above his head on his pillow.

He blinked the sleep away, slowly sitting on his bed as he looked back at the window in front of it—and it was still raining. 

The sky was grey, no sign of the sun in sight, only rain and wind making the high waves crash into the island furiously.

Sighing, he stood up and decided to get going.

There was a lot to do, and a night of pleasant dreams to forget.

* * *

He dreamt of storms.

Johnny dreamt of the beach at home, sitting on the sand and playing with his kid when he’d been just a little baby, his pup.

They’d been looking at the surfers while building a castle, and Shannon had been sitting under the umbrella with Bobby and a very pregnant Jane.

In the dream, the surfers never made it to land and another kid took his hand when the sky turned grey. And he was a kid, too—Johnny was small and skinny again, blonde bangs getting in his eyes as the sun went down and it started to rain.

He walked with his friend, holding hands on the beach. They walked and kept walking, crossing the sea hand in hand, right into the lighthouse’s bright lamp.

The sun was in his eyes when he woke up—

“Fuck…” 

But it wasn’t the sun, it was the lighthouse and it was biblically raining outside. The waves collided with the land and the rocks in such anger, it reminded Johnny of him and Dutch, getting in trouble and beating the shit out of each other at any given chance they got.

Johnny blinked a couple of times, sitting on the bed and looking around. 

“Okay.” He blinked again. “Fine.”

He needed to call Robby, check on the boat, call Mr. de Sol and ask him to check on his son—he needed to see Daniel, make sure it was okay if he stayed here.

If he hadn’t done anything stupid while sleeping, like the cuddler he’d always been.

When he went downstairs, music was echoing the first floor nicely and Johnny had to smile—it’d been a while since he heard Arthur’s Theme, but Daniel was nowhere to be seen.

“Good morning.”

Johnny blinked, looking for the source of the voice—Daniel was sitting on a six seats table in what he supposed was meant to be the dining area. He had papers and books opened in front of him, and the man was writing down shit without looking at Johnny.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen.” Daniel said. “Breakfast is in the microwave.”

He blinked, distractedly walking towards the man, wanting to see him face to face.

“Did you sleep well?” Daniel asked, finally looking up.

Johnny stopped breathing, and he was sure Daniel had heard the moment it happened. 

The man smiled, sliding his glasses back with a finger, cheeks pink.

“I’m guessing you’re not a morning person.” Daniel talked again, and this time, Johnny finally reacted properly.

“No, no—I need coffee and at least another hour before I can be considered human again.”

He chuckled. “Well, like I said—coffee’s in the kitchen alongside your breakfast, sleepyhead.”

Johnny groaned, seeing Daniel smile in amusement. This man had no right to be this dorky and still be hot in reading glasses. It was incredibly unfair.

“Dork.” He said, walking away and into the kitchen as Daniel laughed behind.

“I know you think you’re insulting me but it just makes you look silly if your cheeks get pink every time!”

What the fuck? Johnny looked out the kitchen’s door, though he couldn’t see Daniel and the man couldn’t see him—the keeper had woke up with a daring soul today.

He tended to his breakfast instead, taking the same mug from the night before and filling it with coffee before leaving the kitchen with his food and mug in hand, sitting near Daniel at the table.

The man looked at him with a small smile, Johnny simply ate as he kept working.

“So,” Daniel sighed, “it’s still raining.”

Johnny nodded. “So I noticed.”

“What are you gonna do?” Daniel asked.

He swallowed his food and cleared his throat. “Talk to my son again, to a friend in town to ask him to check on him and Moon.”

“Moon?”

“His girlfriend.”

“Uh,” Daniel chuckled. “That’s a curious name.”

“It’s a good name for her.” He took another bite of his food, both stayed quiet as he chewed and swallowed. “I haven’t met her dad, but my son told me he and her mother were like hippies or something.”

“Fun in-laws, that’s important.”

Johnny nodded. “An improvement from mine, for sure.” He sighed. “Her mother passed away when she was a kid.” 

“Oh.” 

“Robby says her father never recovered, didn't marry again.” He sighed. “He… wants me to meet him on a good day.”

“What does that mean?”

Johnny blinked a couple of times, thinking of banquets and bottles he let Carmen and Rosa throw into the garbage.

He shook his head and looked at the man. “There hasn’t been the chance.”

Daniel looked at him for long seconds then nodded.

“So, I felt a kick or two last night…” Johnny said.

The man giggled, Johnny looked at him and smiled.

“That’s a good look on you.”

“Uh?”

He signaled at him with his fork. “That whole smile-glasses-turtleneck sweater combo.”

Daniel’s cheeks went pink as he looked down at himself. He nodded, clearing his throat and going back to his work with a small smile.

“Thank you.”

Johnny thought of Daniel’s reactions for a good part of the night before falling asleep. He thought of how he didn’t seem to mind his flirting but sometimes seemed to not understand it.

He had right now, Johnny could tell. He had.

“So” he kept going, Daniel looked up again, “is it okay if I stay again?”

“Of course.” The man answered, looking at him. “Don’t worry about it, this place is a safe haven for all sailors, fishermen and other lost souls.”

Johnny chuckled. “Why do you gotta talk like that all the time?” He smiled at the keeper. “Like a folk song.”

The man smiled at him wide. “I’m a lighthouse keeper, I live for the character.”

He shook his head and went back to his food as Daniel returned to his work.

Later, he’d call Robby and Mr. de Sol. Take a chance to get out and stretch his legs, check on the boat, make sure it was well anckled and safe. 

And then, he’ll come back here and watch Daniel go about his day. Maybe joining him in chores if he wanted.

Right now, Johnny sighed, looking at his host with a smile.

Another night with Daniel. 

Johnny surprised himself thinking—he couldn’t wait for the dark again.

* * *

Daniel put his jacket on and then his raincoat, leaving the house with Johnny behind.

He had the man do the dishes again as he finished inventory and wrote yesterday’s entry of the register. 

Now, the man was to check his boat then call his son, and the same Mr. de Sol that was once his father’s boss, then helped his mother get a job years later.

Johnny had looked at him for long seconds, then gave him a tiny smile.

“He’s a great guy.”

“He does seem great.” Johnny said. “I don’t understand how he and Sid were even friends.” 

Daniel nodded, also thinking about it—for all Johnny had said, he couldn’t see how Joseph de Luna could be friends with a man like the one his guest described. 

They walked out the house under the rain as Daniel was to tend to the lighthouse and continue his day as if he didn’t dream of the man behind him all night.

In the dream, they lay in the back garden, looking at the blue sky as they tried to find forms in the clouds.

Somehow, someone moved and soon Daniel was on top of Johnny and they were kissing.

They kissed long and slow, as if they had all the time in the world. And there were hands on his body, clothes being removed, and they were on his bed.

Johnny gave him a look that made him shiver, and he was on top now, kissing Daniel with so much devotion, it felt like an adoring ritual more than a carnal need.

He closed his eyes in the dream, feeling him in and out, all around him, and then he took a deep breath and things shifted.

Daniel was a child again the next time he opened his eyes.

Lucille, his mother, waved at him from the distance saying something Daniel couldn’t understand. But he was suddenly being held by his hand and made to walk towards his mother and another woman.

Her blonde braid moving softly with the air, her face covered by the shadow of her hat. 

But the hand was firm, it was still firm when Daniel looked at his side and he was waking up, Johnny sleeping peacefully at his left.

Like now, the man stayed at his side.

“Be careful going down!” Daniel reminded him in the intersection where they’ll separate into their own tasks. “It’s rocky and slippery, and it’s been raining. Expect hell!”

“Get out of here!” Johnny said, making Daniel laugh.

The man went down, Daniel watched him for a few seconds, then kept walking to the tower where the darkness greeted him with its familiarity.

Once his cousin Louie told him he had become too somber, comfortable in the dark and the cold, aware of his loneliness to the point he didn’t mind it at all.

Johnny had called him a folk song, and maybe that was what he’d become—something passed by talk, a memory in his kids’ head, an ominous name on Amanda’s lips in the Johnson household.

He thought of it and his many stories as he worked for the day, making sure the lighthouse was going perfectly and its ends were greasy, firm, moving.

Daniel’s many stories were a weight in his shoulders he couldn’t allow himself to be tired of—would he disappear if he let it? 

“LaRusso?” He heard the echo of Johnny’s voice come. 

Blinking, he walked out the control’s room and looked down the tower to find Johnny standing in the lobby, looking up.

“You need any help?”

Daniel blinked again, lips trembling a little.

“Yes.”

* * *

Robby laughed in his ear when Johnny called and said he wasn’t sure he’ll be able to make it to land again.

The boy didn’t seem too bothered, and he could imagine him spending a nice weekend away with his girlfriend, all expenses paid. At that age, it was all Johnny wanted. It was The Dream.

“How is the strange keeper doing?”

“He’s fine.” Johnny assured him, doing his best not to think of sleeping on the same bed or his weird dreams. “I’m learning way too much about lighthouse keeping.”

“Next job?”

“Ha-ha. I’m too old to keep changing careers.”

“I don’t know, I’ve been told it’s never too late for anything.” The boy said. Johnny smiled to himself, walking around the control’s room as Daniel finished cleaning the gallery. “Mr. de Sol came by and invited us to lunch. Did you call him?”

“Yeah, I asked him to check on you. You don’t have to go anywhere.”

“It’s okay, we are a bit bored.” Robby said. Johnny could hear the rain in town, too. He and Moon couldn’t go to many places like this. “Moon’s excited we get to lunch with other people.”

“Mhm.” Johnny chuckled. “You two really are playing little house, uh?”

“Shut up!” His son gasped. “Don’t say that, oh my god!”

He laughed, imagining the boy’s red cheeks, desperate to end this call. The door opened behind him, Johnny turned to find the keeper coming in.

The man smiled at him, Johnny waved lamely and mentally slapped himself. What the hell was he doing? 

“Look, just be careful.” Johnny reminded his son. “The second it stops raining, I’ll be there.”

“Yeah, at this point I’m the one going to pick you up.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Sure.” Robby chuckled. “Take care, dad. Talk to you later?”

“Yeah…” He sighed. “Say thanks to Mr. de Sol for me, would you?”

“Of course.”

As they said goodbye, Johnny’s heart hurt a little. He wanted this weekend to be good for them, have fun all together. This was a disaster after disaster, Johnny wondered if he’ll ever do right by his son even at shit like this.

“Is he okay?” Daniel asked, Johnny turned to look at him.

Though, this. He could barely call it a disaster, this was—maybe kind of fortunate. At least, this man was good company.

“Yeah, to be honest—I think he’s fine with his girlfriend.” He laughed. “They have the beach house for themselves, of course they are happy.”

“Well,” Daniel smiled, “at least they are safe.”

He nodded, following Daniel outside the room. 

They went up into the gallery where they would be spending most of the day as Daniel explained this is what it was like to be the keeper when there weren’t other duties to fulfill.

Daniel put on music, and they settled into the calm of the rain, their quiet company, and the light.

* * *

“So, what are the chances to go around naked here and not get caught?” 

Daniel frowned. “What?” 

The man was sitting on the floor as Daniel read sitting on the gallery’s visor. The window gave a great grey view of the sea, the island and town, it was the perfect spot to read in days like this.

For a while, they talked and listened to music until Johnny fell asleep on the floor, nested in their coats. He had looked so young like that, no care for the world as he slept and Daniel smiled down at him.

Now, the man was awake. And he wished he would still be sleeping.

“Well—“ Johnny smirked his way, Daniel’s frown went deeper. “You know—you live on this island all alone, why not?”

“Johnny.” He tried to understand that logic. “Why would you want to be naked in here?”

“Oh, come on.” Johnny smirked. “You’re gonna tell me you don’t enjoy being naked? Let some fresh air touch your balls?”

“God—“ Daniel shook his head. “I kind of hate you.”

The man laughed, making Daniel close his eyes for a few seconds as he thought of it.

Daniel imagined himself stark naked in the grass, walking around the island like a mad man. Here in the gallery, warmed by the light. In the house, going about his day with no clothes. Walking on the shore without care or shame under the sun.

“You are thinking of it, don’t you?” He heard.

Daniel swallowed. “No…”

“Yes, you are!”

His cheeks felt warm. “Shut up, it’s your weird idea.”

The man chuckled. “I would do it!” 

And of course, his brain fixated on that and the image changed—it was Johnny naked under the sun, walking on the shore. Laying on the grass with nothing but a smile. Going about the day in the house, in the gallery, in the boat.

Daniel shook his head, looking away as his heart hammered in his chest. 

He put the book up past his nose and felt a cold shiver when Johnny laughed, standing up from where he was and walking towards him with a confidence Daniel was hating more and more.

“What’s that?”

“Uh?” Daniel swallowed. “I’m reading.”

“No, you’re not.” He said, hooking a finger on his book and lowering it to see his face. “You’re blushing.”

“I—” Daniel looked away. “Oh god, this is awkward.”

Johnny took his finger away, laughing as he sat down on the window as well. Daniel dared to look up, watching as the man got comfortable with a smile. 

“I hope you indulge me on this one when I’m gone.” Johnny said. “Lose up a little, LaRusso!”

“You lose up way too much, man.” Daniel smiled at him, Johnny arched his eyebrows looking at him. “Do you go around telling people to get naked?”

He seemed to think about it, Daniel chuckled at the sight and shook his head. This man was—fucking unbelievable, and yet here they were. Johnny gave him a knowing look.

“Not in Lighthouses, this is more of a bedroom thing.”

“Ugh.” He frowned, closing his eyes. “You gotta stop with the dirty mind, Johnny!”

They were laughing again, still feeling as if he knew him all his life and had been friends for the longest time. It had been a while since he last felt this comfortable around someone he just met, and it was alright. It felt good.

“I hate this because my head” Daniel signaled his temple, “supplies images to everything people tell me.” Johnny threw his head back in laughter, understanding what had happened to Daniel back there. “So you start talking madness and it right away appears in my fucking head!”

“So that’s what all the blushing is about!” 

“God, I hate you…”

But they were laughing and Daniel couldn’t remember when was the last time he was laughing this much with anyone. Not just the people he knew, his family, but anyone really—it reminded him of sitting here as a teen, being teased by Mr. Miyagi and thrown into the water when learning balance.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just a joke.” Johnny reminded him, Daniel closed his book. “So—who did you picture? Me or yourself?”

“Knock it off!” Daniel threw the book in his direction, Johnny catched it while laughing. “Asshole.”

“Mhm.” He nodded. “You know what they say.”

Something in his belly tensed, Daniel felt like he wasn’t breathing while biting his bottom lip, knowing perfectly what Johnny was thinking of. Did this  _ mean  _ what he thought?

He bit. “What?”

Johnny gave him a shit eating grin. “You’re what you eat.”

Daniel looked away with a cocktail of feelings, closing his eyes as he breathed in and out, trying his best not to laugh. But at the end, he did as he shook his head, unsure of what the mix of confusion, amusement, mortification and anxiety was about.

But Johnny was laughing too, leaving Daniel’s book between them as they sat on opposite extremes of the gallery’s window with the rain coming down softly, the sea a mess that crashed against their island, and the sky a grey he didn’t mind for the first time in long years.

Their laughter died down eventually, leaving them with only the rain and the sea, the two of them looking at each other. 

He looked at Johnny with a smile for long seconds, imagining what his face would look like the rest of the year—under the sun, in the snow and the falling leaves, the green of spring. 

“What are you looking at, LaRusso?”

It didn’t sound like an accusation.

Johnny was looking at him from beneath his eyelashes, a small knowing smile on his lips as if he knew Daniel better than himself and had plenty of ideas of what was going on inside his head—but Daniel didn’t even have a name for what he was feeling and why he was enjoying all this adolescent playing they had going.

He cleared his throat just to distract himself from those eyes, looking away.

“Nothing, nothing…” Daniel said. “You’re—you’re a dick.”

The man giggled like a kid, way too entertained with all this. Daniel looked up again.

“Could’ve fooled me!” Johnny crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Daniel with a smirk. “For a moment there I thought you liked what you were seeing.”

God. Daniel swallowed.

It meant that.

He looked down. “I’m bad at lying…” Daniel said, playing with a loose string on his sweater. “So I’m just… not gonna deny you’re nice to look at.”

There was no answer or reaction he could hear. Instead, Daniel saw Johnny stand from the corner of his eyes, get closer, say nothing as he stood in front of him and Daniel could tell he was watching him.

“You like the view.” Johnny said, he suppressed the need to nod. 

Daniel blinked, willing himself to actually look up—after a few seconds, there was a gentle finger under his chin, encouraging him to lift his eyes at the man in front of him.

Said man smiled at him when their eyes met and he felt a shiver come up his spine.

“You’re nice to look at, too.”

He had made himself a place between Daniel’s legs, standing so close to him, he could feel the warmth of his body—the smell of him, see just how deep the blue of his eyes was.

It was like the ocean devouring him.

Johnny put a hand on his face, keeping him there as he leaned forward. Daniel closed his eyes by instinct, parting his lips as Johnny got closer, putting him against the window.

Lighting illuminated the room for a few seconds, followed by angry thunder that made the crystal vibrate, causing them to separate with a jump.

For a few seconds, he couldn’t hear anything but a buzz in his ear as he frowned. Daniel looked everywhere but at Johnny, standing up as the man got away, like trying to give him space.

“LaRusso?” He heard as if underwater, Daniel looked up. Johnny seemed worried. “Are you alright?”

He nodded. The buzz started to dissipate, sound and colors going back to normal as Johnny’s voice filled his head and then, the silence.

They looked at each other for long seconds.

“I—“ Daniel cleared his throat. “Should go back to work.” He walked past Johnny. “Hey, are you helping me with dinner today?”

“Uh,” Johnny walked behind him, “yeah, sure.”

He hoped this didn’t make things awkward.

* * *

Shit was awkward.

Johnny had swore Daniel wanted this too, he thought the man had given him enough signals—but then he had turned away, ran from Johnny and their almost kiss, and tonight he was supposed to be sharing a bed with him.

Fuck.

“Hey, man—” Johnny started, unsure of what he was actually gonna say. Daniel turned to look at him, leaving the control’s panel alone. “Look, about that…”

“It’s okay.” He said, neutral expression on. It made things harder. “You—you should take the bed tonight, okay? You need to sleep well, rest good. Because maybe tomorrow there’ll be sun and you can go back with your son.”

He visibly swallowed, walking past Johnny again, this time to the bridge as he made excuses of wanting to check on the radio signal back in the control room, and make sure the weather hadn’t changed again.

Johnny blinked a couple of times, trying to understand what was happening—was Daniel nervous? Maybe he had overstepped after all. Came in too strong.

Sighing, he decided to follow him.

It had been a while since he last flirted with a man he was making an effort to get with. And this wasn’t like a simple hook up at a bar, his usual—not only because he would see himself made into spending more time with this man after fucking, seeing that the ocean was not on his side this weekend, but because Daniel wasn’t like any of those lonely and horny souls he often seeked.

People like himself, people who simply wanted to satisfy a need, scratch an itch.

Daniel, to him, was like a nice  _ what if _ .

A story he would end up saying with shining eyes and an endearing smile on his face. Like Ali, like Shannon, like Bobby. But at the same time, different—familiar, as if he’d been in his presence before and so, every place they could possibly be in where also familiar.

He entered the control room slowly, not wanting to make Daniel feel trapped or pressure him into anything.

The man was sitting in front of his desk, looking at machines, moving things and making notations.

Johnny sat on his corner as he did before, watching him work, distracting himself with his phone as his son had texted him the ridiculously weird and expensive-looking shit they were encountering in Mr. de Sol’s house.

After a while, it was Daniel who cleared his throat and was looking at him when Johnny looked up.

“I didn’t mean to make it sound like I want you out of here tomorrow…” Daniel said, Johnny blinked a couple of times. He hadn’t even thought of that. “I just—“ He looked up. “I got nervous.”

“It’s fine.” Johnny said after a few seconds, unsure of what else to say. He was more of an actions kind of guy, but Daniel looked like he needed the talk.

“I just... “ He sighed, playing with his fingers over his lap. “It’s been a while.”

It cost a few seconds for his monkey brain to understand what Daniel was saying, but when he did, Johnny’s eyes opened wide and many things made perfect sense. It was obvious—Daniel was divorced, worked here for months without breaks until he was replaced with someone else for a couple of months more.

No one came here with the intentions of hooking up, the chances of something like that were only viable in pornos—and now.

Johnny nodded, swallowing. “Yeah, it’s been a while for me too.”

For real. Lately, he didn’t really had a mind to think about fucking, let alone entering a relationship.

“Okay, so…” Daniel finally looked up, Johnny smiled at him when their eyes met. “Well, there’s that.”

How much of a bad idea would it be to stand up and go kiss this idiot? Johnny shook his head as Daniel returned to his work. He’ll have to find his moment again.

The moment, though, took it’s time as they spent the rest of the afternoon working on the lighthouse and looking at the way the rain seemed to never stop. 

By the time it was time to get back to the house, Robby had texted again and Johnny was ready for Awkwardness, Part II — The Kitchen, and he hoped the man was ready for it as well.

They shared the silence while putting on the raincoats, opening the door and looking outside.

“Okay…” Daniel chuckled. “This is worse than I thought.”

“How can it rain this much? Why is it raining like in the bible now?”

The man laughed, looking at Johnny for a few seconds before stepping out and waiting for him to do the same. He took a deep breath, aware the raincoat wasn’t enough for this, and stepped outside as Daniel closed the door.

Like the day before, they ran together from the rain like children: giggling and bothering the other, not really fast because deep down they wanted to get wet, they wanted the rain to run with them and cool their skin as they laughed.

Daniel pushed him, complaining about the cold and his leg, and Johnny bit his bottom lip as the man ran ahead of him.

The house was warm when they entered.

He waited for Daniel to take off his rain clothes, wanting to see if what happened last night would happen again. To his surprise, Daniel turned around and without really looking at him, he undid the raincoat and helped him out of it.

When their eyes met again this time, Daniel simply smiled at him and walked away, leaving him with many questions and eager to find out just how far this man would go.

“I’m showering first today.” Daniel said, walking towards the exit to the hallway for the stairs. “You get to be cold and wet today.”

Johnny laughed, following close behind as he shook his head.

The man turned back.

“What?” He said, softly as they stood at the bottom of the stairs.

He seemed to gather his ideas, decide what to do. At the end, Daniel shook his head.

“Nothing, just…” He sighed. “Your laugh is deep.”

“Uh,” Johnny blinked a couple of times. “Yeah? I—never noticed before, I guess.”

“Yes.” He moved his head to one side, smiling. “It’s nice to hear.”

He blinked again. This time, Johnny nodded. “You’re easy to laugh with.”

That was it, really.

Like—he was handsome. Fucking hot. He had legs for days and an ass Johnny had checked out since the beginning, and was still checking out every chance he got.

But the thing about Daniel was that he was the easiest person to talk to.

Johnny had the feeling that he could tell him whatever that came to mind, and Daniel would listen—add to it, give an opinion, laugh, take it serious but not so much that he would notice when it’s just a silly thing to say to pass the time.

He laughed at Johnny’s bad jokes, the dirty ones, the dad ones, all of them. Everything Johnny threw his way, he took it and kept taking it as if he could simply handle Johnny and his mess.

“Really?” Daniel said, smile growing.

“Yeah,” Johnny took a step forward, “and you’re funny too.”

Slowly, Daniel looked up. Had he just checked out Johnny? Bold.

He loved it.

“That’s a bit strange.” He frowned, his eyes shone that way Johnny had quickly come to understand meant a ghost was coming. “I mean, it’s just—by the end of my marriage, my ex-wife used to say I wasn’t.” He sighed. “That’s how I realized it was over.”

“Why?”

“Because the day we met, I made her laugh so she would go out with me.”

Johnny smiled at him. He knew that feeling—that small, almost insignificant, moment when things are final. He’d lived it a million times before, like a movie he knew the ending of, an ending he never liked.

And this,

“You’re funny.” Johnny said again, another step was taken. He put his hand on Daniel’s face, cradling his face gently as the man rounded his wrist with his warm hand just as tender. “And fun to be with.”

This was the beginning of them.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Okay.” Daniel nodded. “Yes, please.”

* * *

Johnny leaned forward and in a second, made his words true.

He kissed Daniel with expertise, sure of himself as he gently coaxed his lips apart, tasting his mouth before swallowing his moan.

The man passed an arm around his waist, pulling Daniel against his body.

Chest to chest, Daniel put both hands on Johnny’s neck and moaned deeper as their lips went apart for milliseconds before they were kissing again after breathing the same air, eyes closed and seeing stars just by the touch of their lips. 

The way Johnny’s tongue played his made his legs feel like jelly. Their damp bodies collided even closer, so close, it was just one heart beating fast as fingers nested in his hair and Daniel’s hands went down the firm body in front of him.

Had Johnny not been holding him, Daniel was sure he would have lost his balance by now.

But they kissed.

They kissed for long seconds or minutes, the sound of their lips echoing in the house as the rain washed away any doubts left. And it was just the two of them in the world, in this island with its stories and songs.

When they went apart, Daniel breathed out, slowly opening his eyes as Johnny brushed their noses together softly, leaving his forehead against Daniel’s.

He blinked, hands still clutching Johnny’s clothes—Daniel’s clothes on Johnny—on his back.

“You taste sweet.” The man said. “Though you’d taste of coffee.”

Daniel tried to smile, Johnny was still not opening his eyes. “Disappointed?”

They opened, Daniel blinked. “Not a chance.”

He was kissing him again before Daniel could ask or say anything else. 

Johnny held him by the hips with boths hands, keeping Daniel close as he let his lips wander to his cheeks and jaw, kissing every bit of skin he could reach. He kept a path to his ear, gently bit the lobe before licking behind, nosing down until the neck of his sweater stopped him.

His hands moved, Johnny kissed him again, and this time—Daniel took over, biting his bottom lip as the man sighed pleased. He locked their lips together again, licking his tongue, exploring his mouth, enjoying the way Johnny’s hand went up his back, then down again.

They kept going down, past his waist, until they took hold of his ass, flushing him against his body again.

“Oh—” Daniel moaned, feeling Johnny’s arousal firm and hard against him. “John…”

“Tell me to stop.” He said, Daniel looked up. “Tell me to stop and I’ll leave you alone.”

Daniel blinked a couple of times before shaking his head.

“It’s just been a while…” He reminded him, unsure of how to tell him just how long. “It’s—”

“It’s alright, you know—” Johnny smiled at him, moving his hips against his. Daniel sighed, the shot of arousal going through his body awakening goosebumps on his skin. “I haven’t had any in months either.”

Months. 

Daniel smiled at him, biting his bottom lip. Johnny blinked a couple of times, getting away just a little to look right into his eyes.

“Years?”

He swallowed, nodding.

“Uh, it’s okay…” He said, there was a strange gleam in his eyes. Like if the fact was arousing to him. “How—how many?”

“This is so unsexy.” Daniel laughed, trying to ignore the way he was feeling so ridiculously insecure at his age. This meant nothing, just that he may not last much—why was he feeling like this? “Uh, since—since I got divorced. My best friend took me to a bar and… but then, nothing.”

Johnny nodded, one of his hands was gently massaging Daniel’s waist. “Which means…?”

Daniel looked down, eyes glued to Johnny’s wide chest. “F-five years.”

He expected laughter, a gasp at least. 

Instead, he got a finger on his chin, gently making him look up before Johnny was kissing him long and deep again, slowly making him walk backwards towards the livingroom.

Johnny put his hands on his ass again, pulling him against him before speaking softly. “Hold onto me strong.”

“Yeah, okay…”

Daniel rounded his neck with his arms, giggled like a kid when he felt himself being lifted, and tangled his legs on Johnny’s waist as the man held him from the back of his thighs, quickly walking into the darkened room.

Gently, Johnny left him on the couch, immediately straddling his waist.

On top of him, Johnny looked down at his face and licked his lips as if he couldn't believe his luck. It made Daniel swallow, eyes wandering to his chest as his wet shirt was being removed and his strong forms were revealed.

The name tattooed on his chest called his attention again, and this time—Daniel didn’t stop himself, he touched it with his cold fingers, smiling at the way Johnny jumped at the contact, nipples hardening as he sighed.

He put his hand down, passing it over Johnny’s belly, tracing the toned muscles there.

Johnny had another tattoo on his ribs, his fingers slowly caressed the numbers and unfamiliar form there, wondering about their meaning before going up his chest until he reached his shoulder. 

Daniel left his hand there for a second before slowly caressing his way down his thick bicep, his strong arm.

He swallowed, looking up to find Johnny smirking at him.

“Like what you see?”

Daniel bit his bottom lip, hoping he was looking the right amount of sexy.

He took his hand away, fingers lingering playful on the line of his jeans.

“Maybe.” He murmured, eyes glued to the belt he was tracing with his finger. “I think…” He looked up. “I may have to see it all before judging.”

Johnny laughed, taking Daniel’s hand.

“Not yet, baby.” He said, “We’re probably not gonna last much anyway, but I promise you this—” He put Daniel’s hand on the bulge of his jeans, Daniel’s breath hitched. 

“Mmmhm...” Johnny moaned. 

Daniel’s belly tensed at the sound, the expression he made—he palmed his cock over his clothes with his entire hand, gently squeezing as Johnny’s hips thrusted into his palm. The heaviness made him salivate—he wanted this more than anything.

“I’ll make you come—” He sighed, closing his eyes as his hips thrusted forward. “I’ll make you come five times... and one more before I…” Johnny licked his lips, looking down at Daniel.

The rest of it was left unsaid, they didn’t need it right now and Daniel understood it.

Johnny took his hand again, this time lifting it until he was kissing his knuckles and Daniel smiled at the sight.

It was fascinating how this man managed to be so hot and sweet at the same time. There was a gentleness in his movements as he got Daniel out of his turtleneck, lips finding new spots to kiss and suck, leaving marks on Daniel’s body as he kept his explorations from his neck down his clavicle.

He sucked a mark in the middle of his collarbones, hands roaming around his chest and abdomen. Johnny traced his left nipple with his tongue, gently sucking on the bud before biting at it. 

Daniel moaned, arching his back as if offering more of him and Johnny took the offer, kissing every single bit of skin he could reach.

It felt so good to be touched like this.

Daniel moaned freely, remembering they were alone on this island, and nothing could interrupt them now. Even if the power went out, Daniel was sure Johnny wouldn’t stop until they were spent and panting.

“Have you been with a man before?” He asked, lifting himself to look at Daniel’s face.

He only nodded.

“Good.” Johnny leaned down again, kissing the middle of Daniel’s chest and slowly going down.

But the question made him think back, smiling a little as his eyes closed and he let himself just feel what was happening—until Daniel laughed, making Johnny look up again.

“What?” He murmured.

Daniel shook his head. “Nothing, it’s nothing—”

“No, tell me. Come on.”

He licked his lips, smiling as he hoped he wasn’t ruining anything. “My—my first time was with a guy.”

Johnny’s eyebrows went up, he nodded as he seemed impressed but satisfied with the news. The man leaned down again, this time kissing Daniel harder on the lips. The sound distracted him enough to forget all about that guy in college, his experience before this moment with anyone but this man.

He sucked on his bottom lip, making Daniel moan as Johnny’s hands worked on his belt and pants.

“Well, I’m glad to introduce you back into the world of hooking up.” Johnny said as Daniel lifted his hips to let him get rid of his pants and underwear. 

Daniel rolled his eyes, swallowing as he felt the cold air in his uncovered skin, Johnny’s eyes on his now naked body as he let his clothes fall into the ground. 

He kept his eyes glued to his every curve and form as he took care of his shoes, sending them away with his wet socks and fuck--it was damn cold.

They should’ve put on the fireplace.

“Cold?” Johnny murmured, putting Daniel’s leg over his shoulder. He started to kiss his calf, slowly going up as Daniel did his best not to shiver.

There were goosebumps all over his body as the man kept kissing his way up his leg, caressing his body with his other hand until he was nested between his legs. Daniel swallowed, looking up at the ceiling, Johnny’s lips were now peppering the skin of his pelvis, licking and biting as he went on and on.

“Uhm, fuck—” Daniel whined softly, closing his eyes.

Johnny mouthed at his erection, his tongue darted out just to trace the vein on his engorged cock with the tip, then continued his exploration up Daniel’s belly and chest as Daniel let out a frustrated sound.

Their lips connected again for a few seconds, leaving Daniel even more frustrated as he simply wanted more—

He blinked a couple of times, swallowing as he watched Johnny slowly open his belt.

The slow movement of his fingers felt hypnotized, something about it made his dick twitch as the sound of the buckle echoed around them followed by Daniel’s heavy breathing. He could barely see in the darkness, but—god, Jesus fuck—

Daniel kept looking. 

“You’re hot, LaRusso.” Johnny said, Daniel looked up for a few seconds, then back at his undone pants and the hand fishing for his own cock in front of him. “I think I may come just watching you under me…”

His mouth closed, Daniel was feeling thirst like never before—he looked up and lifted his hands in time for Johnny to go back to reclaim his mouth, getting his fingers into that soft blonde hair.

Daniel wasn’t sure who moaned, but the sound stayed between their mouths and tongues as Johnny thrust his hips into Daniel’s.

With his feet, Daniel hurriedly tried to help him get his jeans off. Johnny lifted again, getting rid of his fucking shoes and socks, the rest of his clothes, and then he was as naked as Daniel, and he couldn’t take his eyes away from him even if he wanted to.

“Satisfied?” The man murmured against his ear, slowly laying his body against Daniel’s. “Uhm?”

He parted his legs as farther apart as he could, rounding Johnny’s hips with them and moaning when their cocks touched slightly. Daniel blinked, looking to Johnny’s face with a smile.

“Maybe.” Was all he gave him at the end.

Johnny chuckled, shaking his head as he licked his front teeth.

“Tough crowd…”

Daniel didn’t give him any more chances to speak, pulling him down for a searing kiss.

Their teeth clashed, it hurt enough to make Daniel gasp but not enough to prevent Johnny from swallowing his every sound as they kept kissing, hips moving at the contact of their naked skin until they found a rhythm.

He took a deep breath, held himself onto Johnny’s body and closed his eyes.

The feeling of Johnny’s length against his was heavy, hot. It made his abdomen contract, arousal so strong it was sure to drive him crazy—it made him moan louder, panting against Johnny’s ear as the man kissed down his neck, leaving marks that would remind him days later of tonight.

It could work better if they had lube with them but Daniel wasn’t about to interrupt this to go upstairs and help himself. The night was just starting and tomorrow—

“Johnny!”

The man picked up the pace, hips thrusting almost harshly, making the contact just the right amount of painful to have them both moaning and panting against each other’s mouth as they stole kisses here and there.

They were a wet mess between sweat, precome and the remains of rain, and Daniel loved it. He loved every second of it as Johnny pistoned his hips against his, murmuring dirty nothings that had him wishing it would never end, that they could stay like this forever, high above everything else in the world.

Soon, Daniel felt his belly harden. His toe fingers curled as his back arched, moaning Johnny’s name and he was coming.

He came with a shout and closed eyes, a tear going down his cheek from the pleasure drowning all his senses as the warmth of his—and Johnny’s, his and Johnny’s come settled between their bellies.

Johnny bit the space between his neck and his shoulder, hips giving one and two thrusts until his cock twitched one more time, and he was done with a soft  _ hmph _ against his skin, letting his weight fall on Daniel as they recovered from their highs.

Seconds passed, minutes—he wasn’t sure. 

But Johnny’s weight was a confort on his body and Daniel caressed his hair distractedly as he looked at the ceiling, heart still going fast in his chest—he could sleep like a baby after this, if he wasn’t hungry for more.

“You okay?” He murmured against Johnny’s blonde hair, the man only nodded. “Now, I’m satisfied.”

Johnny laughed, deep and velvet like always, making Daniel close his eyes and bath himself on that laugh, this smell, and the warmth of his body.

* * *

Someonehow, Daniel got up and put on the fire with the comforter he had left for Johnny the night before on the couch over his shoulders.

Johnny remained laying on the couch, watching him move naked with only the thick sheet on, and this—it felt unreal. Like a dream, a nice one that was so odd in his life.

He licked his lips, opening his arms with a smile when Daniel went back to him, laying on top of Johnny with a sigh.

The man covered them both with the comforter. It was an individual one, but Daniel’s body heat was more than enough as they heard the wood burn and the rain fall on the house.

Johnny wasn’t sure for how long they stayed there in silence, just cuddling on the couch, but by the time Daniel lifted his head and adjusted himself better, Johnny had almost fallen asleep.

“Whose Laura?” The man asked.

Johnny blinked a couple of times, taking Daniel’s hand that had been caressing his mother’s name over his peck. 

He kissed it before leaving it against his chest, covering it with his.

“My mother.” He answered. “She… she passed away a while back.”

There was no answer for a few seconds, and then he smiled with the soft motion of Daniel’s lips as he spoke again. “I’m sorry, Johnny…”

“It’s okay.” He sighed. “How would you know?” He looked down at the same time Daniel looked up. “I know you want to ask about the other one.”

Daniel smiled at him, his hand slowly sneaking out Johnny’s, softly caressing his skin until he was tracing the date tattooed on his ribs, the symbol over it. Johnny smiled back.

“That’s my son’s birthday.” 

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.” He sighed, Daniel rubbed his face softly on his chest. “And his zodiac sign. Aquarius. His mother and I have it, it was her idea.”

Johnny put a hand on Daniel’s head, caressing his hair as the silence filled the room again.

“That’s really sweet.” Daniel said, still caressing that tattoo. “Does he know you have it?”

He blinked a couple of times, remembering when he had shown it to his son.

The pup had been only five, had jumped excitedly and asked if he could have one too.

_ “I want you and mommy in my heart like you have grandma!” _

Back then, it had almost made him cry as it was doing right now. Johnny shook his head, the movement made Daniel look up with curiosity in his doe eyes.

“John?”

He liked that, the way he said his name.

Johnny cleared his throat, putting a hand on Daniel’s cheek. The man leaned on his touch and waited, patient like no one before.

“Yeah…” He said, then sighed. “Not that he likes it too much, actually.”

“No?” Daniel frowned. “Why so?”

“Maybe it embarrasses him…” He said, pretending he didn’t know the truth. “I mean—or maybe he just thinks I don’t deserve to have it. It’s probably that.”

Daniel blinked, looking at him.

He was not pressuring him into talking, spilling his guts on him as if this was more than one weekend none of them had been expecting. But then again, that was the trick, wasn’t it? They may as well never see each other again.

Johnny swallowed.

“I’ve never been a good dad.” He confessed, Daniel frowned. “I wasn’t there when he was born, I—was too busy getting wasted.” He swallowed. “Like all my potential.”

Daniel said nothing. 

If he was thinking the worst of him, he couldn’t tell. And for once, Johnny was grateful for that. He couldn’t explain it, why it was so easy to talk to him, why it mattered what he thought anyway.

He cleared his throat.

“I mean, it was—a difficult time back then. My mom had just passed away and only weeks after, Robby was born.” Johnny swallowed the lump in his throat. “Still...” He sighed. “I kept failing him even when he had… so much faith in me.” Johnny swallowed. “I know I’m one of those men that shouldn’t have been a father—”

“Johnny.” Daniel said, frowning.

“But even knowing all that—” Johnny blinked tears away. “Even knowing he should hate me, I can’t bring myself to regret having him.” 

The man looked at him with understanding so clear in his eyes, Johnny had to look away.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he threw his head back.

Daniel kissed between his pecs, making Johnny look back.

“I don’t think he hates you.” The keeper said. 

“No? How would you know? You haven’t even seen him.”

“No,” Daniel admitted with a smile, “but he keeps texting and calling, even when he has a beach house all for himself and his girlfriend.” He reminded Johnny. “But all he worries is if his dad is okay on the island with the weird lighthouse keeper.”

“Don’t—” Johnny laughed, shaking his head. “Don’t say that. You’re not weird.”

“I am weird.” Daniel answered, moving over him until they were facing each other. “It’s okay… you like it.”

He blinked. There were years of this between them in just half an hour, Johnny hoped he could get a number at the end of all this. At least.

Daniel leaned forward, kissing him softly.

With his hands, Johnny uncovered his shoulders. He’d seen something there earlier—the skin there was smooth, Johnny had seen the birthmarks and freckles earlier, and something more.

“This.” Johnny murmured against Daniel’s lips, the man blinked a couple of times as he circled his right shoulder. “This is a nice tattoo.”

Daniel smiled at him. “You saw it?”

It was hard not to. 

The ink was well treated, taken care of over the years. It was absolutely part of Daniel, the way the crescent Moon connected with the planet at its side, stars making the bridge between them.

Silver and gold, black.

He leaned down, kissing his shoulder. “Yeah.”

“Uhm.” Daniel sighed. “It’s something really silly, actually.” He confessed. “I got it almost out of spite… nostalgia and spite.”

“That’s a combination, alright.” Johnny laughed. “Why spite?”

“Well, I’m—” He sighed. “Doesn’t it surprise you?” Daniel looked at him with a sad tiny smile. “That I have a tattoo.”

Johnny frowned.

“No one believed me when I said I wanted it.” He said. “It’s not like me, I’m—clean and professional, and whatever other prejudice against ink you can imagine in the early 90s.”

“That old?” Johnny’s eyebrows went up. “Baby, I just got mine in the early 2000s, you were ahead of me.”

Daniel chuckled, shaking his head.

“Anyway, I... “ He licked his lips, distracting himself by caressing Johnny’s chest tattoo. “I had an accident in 1989. A car accident. I was driving.” He swallowed visibly. “I fucked up my leg, my—my then fiancé ended up in the hospital. It ruined our relationship, my karate, her dancing… we couldn’t keep up.”

“Hey—”

Daniel looked up. “I was going to live in Japan!” He said, sad—melancholic for the ruined plans, but no longer resentful, regretful. “We were going to have many kids, and me and Mr. Miyagi were going to teach them Miyagi-do karate, and—none of it happened at the end.”

He blinked, Johnny hugged him closer, letting him put his face against his chest again.

“And back home, people said deep down they knew I wouldn’t do it anyway.” He said. “I never took any risks, never did anything… bold. I talk a lot, I’m excited for new things, but to actually commit to them, that’s different.”

“Yeah.”

“So at the time, I was—in a strange place. And one night, I had a dream of a memory. Of this place.” He sighe. “The beach in town. I made a friend when I was a kid once, I don’t… I can’t recall his face anymore, we were just babies. Around seven? But every time I remembered that Summer, I could feel my heart beat again.”

Johnny blinked a couple of times, frowning. 

“He told me something, and it stayed with me forever.”

He looked at Daniel’s shoulder, the planet on it, the Moon.

“So, I got a tattoo.” He chuckled. “No one could believe it! I don’t regret it, I’m proud of it.”

Johnny nodded, leaning down to kiss the top of Daniel’s head. The man sighed content, cuddling closer to him.

“What was his name?” 

Daniel didn’t answer for a while. “Harry.” He licked his lips, Johnny felt the movement on his chest. He passed his thumb over Daniel’s tattoo. “I think… or Hen--”

“Henry.”

* * *

Daniel sat immediately, looking at Johnny with a frown for a second before his mouth opened and no words came out.

The man looked at him without hesitation or a sign that this was nothing but normal. Neutral. He swallowed visibly, slowly moving to reach out for his jeans on the ground as Daniel’s head started to hurt.

With a frown, he saw as Johnny took out his wallet, searching for something until he had a card and—the folded paper form the night before.

He opened it, looking at its content for a few seconds before looking up at Daniel.

They looked at each other for long before Johnny passed the paper to him.

It was a kid’s drawing. 

Two smiling stick people stood in a pirate ship, a kid and a man. There was no sea, it was the night sky filled with stars and their ship navigated it towards the Moon and—

“Saturn…” Daniel felt his throat close, his nose burn as he read the boy’s message to his father. “Daddy, I love you to the Moon—”

“And to Saturn.”

He looked up, eyes filled with unshed tears.

Johnny held his eyes, slowly moving to show him the card—it was a license, his driving license.

Daniel swallowed, looking directly at the name.

John Henry Lawrence.

Sweet popsicles on the beach,  _ cross my heart I’ll tell no other, _ sandcastles built with his dad on their last Summer together before he got sick, holding a sticky hand while looking for seashells,  _ love you to the Moon and to Saturn _ .

“My son has your name.”

Johnny blinked. “What?”

“He has—he has my father’s name, and my friend’s name.” He closed his eyes, tears went down his face. Daniel looked down, moving the drawing away as he tried to dry those tears, but Johnny did it first.

He caressed his cheek with his thumb, successfully getting the tear away, then the other. 

Daniel looked up, thinking of Anthony Henry at home with his messy black hair and disinterest in anything Daniel liked, the way he couldn’t connect with him for the life of him—and yet, how much the kid followed him around when he was in Boston.

“Hi.” Johnny murmured with a tiny smile. “Nice to see you again.”

Daniel laughed, though it sounded more like a sob. “Hey you... I’ve missed you.”

His heart beat fast, strong and alive in his chest as Johnny put the drawing and card aside, pulling Daniel against his chest. 

It felt as if his heart was about to explode, get out of his chest—but Johnny held him, he held him and made him stay.

“John?” Daniel called him, they went apart to look at each other’s face. “Do you remember me?”

The man swallowed visibly but nodded. “Not much, but… yeah.”

“You remember my face?”

“I remember we were pirates…” He scratched the back of his head, looking nervous. “Astronauts and explorers. We were gonna move to India and have our own island.”

Daniel chuckled, nodding, suddenly having those Summer vacations come clearer, a little face slowly figuring into his friend he couldn’t remember until now.

“Your dad…” Johnny sighed. “Shit, man.” He cradled Daniel’s face gently with both hands. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry he’s gone. He was a great guy.”

“You remember him?” Daniel smiled, heart beating faster. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He smiled back, something sad suddenly appearing in there. “Unlike my shitty dad or my shitty stepfather, I remember yours being awesome.”

Daniel smiled at him, nodding.

“It  _ is  _ you.” He suddenly realized. Golden hair against the sun, ocean blue eyes looking into his. “It really is you.”

Johnny nodded, looking as confused as Daniel, and as—what could he call this feeling in his chest? It hugged his heart, made it hurt nicely as he kissed him again, trying to show him all that was there and he didn't have a way to say, to name.

The man kissed him back as softly, caressing his cheek as he put his other hand on his waist, keeping him close.

Back when they were kids and first met, Daniel had no idea of what his life would be like. 

For the long of that Summer, he’d been all he wanted and had been allowed to have it all as their parents sat together nearby, watching them be kids and have fun.

In here, it was them making choices and moving into places again, this time all on their own.

Johnny sat properly on the couch, the comforter now on the floor as Daniel straddled his hips and hugged his neck with his arms, kissing and kissing as if they had all the time in the world.

He couldn’t think of what would happen tomorrow, not when Johnny took both their cocks in his big hand, stroking them together as they looked into each other’s eyes, moaning and sighing, panting against each other, together.

The man had made a big promise to him tonight, and it seemed like nothing would stop him until it was fulfilled. Daniel found himself wanting that more than anything.

He leaned his forehead on Johnny’s, looking into his eyes as he moved his hips, eager to reach that climax with him again.

Johnny stopped to spit on his palm, looking at him with a dirty smirk.

“Spit.” 

Daniel salivated at the thought, their spit combined to enhance the feeling of Johnny stroking them together. He did as told, making Johnny smile wider.

“Good boy.” He said, pecking his lips as he guided his hand back between them.

He slicked them both as best he could, spitting again on his hand before starting all over, this time moaning softly as he threw his head back and Daniel took the chance to mouth at his neck.

Johnny reacted so perfectly to every touch from Daniel, every kiss and suck—it was driving him crazy, the noises he made as he kept the rhythm of his hand on their cocks.

He sucked a mark on his throat, moved his hips faster when Johnny’s hand did, and moaned loudly as he felt his orgasm build again.

“Fuck, Johnny—” He moaned, the man looked at him. “I’m gonna, I—”

“Yeah, baby, yes—” Johnny panted against his mouth, kissing Daniel between words. “Come for me, Daniel—come for me, let me see you come—”

The words alone drove him to the edge, his cock twitched against Johnny’s and to hear him groan loudly at it—his nails digging on Johnny’s shoulders, he—

“Fuck!”

He came as he threw his head back, closing his eyes and seeing stars as he shot his load on Johnny’s hand and belly.

The man left his softening cock aside, but Daniel could still feel his hand moving on himself, the desperate way he was trying to bring himself to completion.

His eyes opened, focusing on Johnny’s face—his eyes were closed, mouth open as he made little pleased noises.

It was fascinating.

Daniel blinked a couple of times, watching him as he caressed Johnny’s hair, spellbound by the image in front of him.

“Come on…” He murmured, making Daniel smile.

“Yeah.” He sighed, Johnny opened his eyes and looked at him. “Come, Johnny. I wanna see you come—”

“Fuck—” The man moaned, the sound of his movements echoing in the room so loud it spread goosebumps on Daniel’s skin. “Oh shit, shit, shit—”

“You’re so hot,” Daniel smiled “I want you to come, John, please come for me—”

“Shit—Daniel!” 

And he was coming.

Daniel looked down, watching as come covered both their bellies. The mix with sweat was certainly disgusting, they probably smelled of sex and had filled the whole room with their scent. 

But he didn’t care.

He bit his bottom lip, smiling after leaning forward to shove his tongue down Johnny’s throat, kissing him as hard as he could, desperate to make sure he was real and he wasn’t dreaming this—this weekend with the strangest twist.

Johnny had no idea just how much this meant to him.

The man didn’t know how often he was in Daniel’s head, his memories of that Summer, the last his dad was alive and well enough to play around with him. 

Daniel remembered what he could of his friend often. His games and words, the sweet way he would repeat that phrase for him.

How had they found each other again? Like this?

Johnny kissed the corner of his mouth, gently held him against his body as they calmed down.

Blinking, Daniel sighed happily.

It felt like years as they stayed there, and only when he moved to hide his face on Johnny’s neck, Daniel remembered they were naked.

Together here, in an island of their own like they’ve wanted when they were kids.

* * *

Johnny woke up to the sound of someone in the kitchen.

He looked around just to make sure he hadn’t dreamed all that, that he wasn’t back in California, in his mess of a room in the dark—but he was in Daniel’s lighthouse and it wasn’t raining anymore.

Blinking, he looked down to make sure Robby’s drawing was alright. He found it folded over his wallet on the table at the couch’s side, and Johnny sighed. He put everything in its place and fished for his boxers, putting them on as he walked towards the kitchen.

He found Daniel there, singing low as he went around cooking.

“Arthur he does as he pleases. All of his life, he's mastered choice; deep in his heart, he's just—he's just a boy…”

Like Johnny, he was only wearing his boxers, a shirt and his comforter on his shoulders. His voice felt soft, Johnny leaned against the door’s frame to watch him sing and cook, and he couldn't help but smile.

“Living his life one day at a time and showing himself a really good time,” Daniel sang a bit louder. “Creeping on me half naked—”

Johnny snorted, laughing as he walked in and Daniel turned to see him with a smile.

“Are you gonna stay watching me there or are you gonna help me?” 

He stood at Daniel’s side, smiling at the man when he looked back. 

“That’s what I thought.” Daniel sighed, going back to whatever he was doing.

“What are we eating?”

“Meatloaf!”

Johnny gasped like a child, looking into the bowl where Daniel was mixing the meat and veggies. The man smiled at him, looking back to put a soft kiss on his cheek and—his heart  _ hurt _ .

This was too good. Way too good.

“What—what do you want me to do?”

Daniel passed him another bowl with potatoes.

“Peel these, we are making smashed potatoes too.”

“Nice.”

The man pushed him towards the table. “Sit over there, I need my space.”

He chuckled, obeying as he sat down and wondered just how ridiculous they looked like this: in their boxers, messy hair and long grins after sex and other divine reveals, cooking together in what was likely the middle of the night.

Johnny sat and did as he was told, Daniel checking on his progress from time to time. 

He heard Daniel go around the kitchen, starting another song, shaking his hips from time to time and making Johnny’s day just like that. 

It was—it was cute.

“Come here,” Daniel called him. Johnny stood up and stood by his side. Daniel offered him his finger after mixing everything with his clean hands. “Tell me if it’s too salty or needs more salt.”

He took his finger into his mouth, savoring it and making Daniel laugh as he pulled his finger free.

“Tastes good to me.” Johnny said. “Oh, and your meatloaf thing also tasted good.”

“Idiot.” Daniel rolled his eyes. “How are those potatoes doing?”

“Just fine.” Johnny said, going back to take the bowl. “I’m not the best cook so don’t get too picky.”

The man laughed, taking a bit of it with a finger. He put it in his mouth and smiled at him.

“It tastes good.” He said. “So, you’re helping me here now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Daniel pushed him gently with his hips. “Put on a shirt first, though.”

“Why?” He frowned.

The man looked at him. “It’s distracting! And unsanitary! Put on a shirt!”

He laughed, shaking his head but listening to him anyway. By the time he was back after putting on the long sleeves shirt Daniel had given him, the man was singing again and had left the smashed potatoes back on the kitchen’s table.

Johnny watched him for a few seconds as he got closer, gently put both hands on his waist, kissing his temple repeatedly with closed eyes. Daniel laughed softly, leaning his back on his chest and turning his face to kiss Johnny.

Daniel laughed a little, taking the other mold he had gotten out for the meatloaf. “We’re gonna end up eating at, like, midnight.”

“Fine by me, I got other things to eat anyway.” He answered.

The man looked at him right away with a frown, back at being done with his dirty jokes.

“Seriously?” Daniel said with an arched eyebrow. “You already got into my pants, are you gonna keep that shit up?”

“Yep.” He answered, making the man sigh in annoyance. “It is what it is, honey.”

“I’m honey now?” He went back to the food. 

Johnny smiled to himself as he looked down to Daniel’s hands and the way he was filling the mold with the mix of meat and veggies. He hugged the man from behind, leaning his chin on his shoulder.

“And you’ll be many more.”

Daniel stopped working for a moment but said nothing else until he was done. The man turned to see him and smiled, putting a small kiss on his cheek again.

“I need to get some bacon, Johnny.”

“Uh, yeah.” He let go of him, watching as the man walked to the fridge for what he needed.

Johnny sighed, standing by his side when he came back, watching him put decorative lines of bacon over the meat. He then put the oven on and sighed.

“We gotta wait a little bit.” Daniel announced, walking towards the table. “Let’s sit!”

Daniel said with a big smile, and he seemed.... Happy.

He could say it now, at least to himself in the privacy of his head.

The lighthouse keeper had been odd since he first lay eyes on him. He exuded melancholy and something else, seeming so lonely in the way he was used to the dark and the cold, the smell of salt and the sound of waves crashing in the solitary shore of his island.

But right now, Daniel seemed happy.

He put the meatloaf in the oven, looked at the smashed potatoes again and sat down with him with a bright smile.

“I’ll take a while.” He announced, Johnny moved his head to one side. “We should take a shower as we intended hours ago.”

True. 

Johnny smirked at him when Daniel looked back. The man rolled his eyes, standing up and passing him towards the stairs without saying a single word, making Johnny chuckle as he followed his lead anyway.

“The shower is too small for the two of us!” Daniel reminded him.

Johnny bit his bottom lip, walking behind him. “Are you sure about that? I’m thinking we could save hot water like this.”

“You are the worst.” Daniel made a tsk sound with his tongue, going upstairs with Johnny close behind. 

“I’m a man of my word, we are only at two.”

That made the trick.

Daniel turned around to see him, indecision so clear in his face, Johnny had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. All he was gonna get was a kick in the head, and hey—what did that old song say? 

He cursed himself, tensing at his own thoughts.

“Not now.” Daniel said. “When—when we are over. I really want to shower.”

Johnny smiled up at him. “Okay.” He cleared his throat, looking away.

Something shifted between them, he tried to ignore it but—it was there now, cutting the air in a strange and cold way. 

Daniel stayed put for a few seconds longer, Johnny took a deep breath and looked back at him.

“I’ll check on the food while you're upstairs.” He proposed. “Probably need to check on my son and his girlfriend, too.”

“Of course.”

“Okay.”

They stayed there a few seconds longer, then Daniel turned away and Johnny looked into the fireplace room, sighing—but the man was walking downstairs again, and Johnny looked back with a frown.

“Johnny,” he said out of breath, he walked towards him and stood in front, Daniel one step taller. “Sorry, I just—“

Daniel put both hands on his cheeks, softly kissed him without another word. Johnny blinked a couple of times after, frowning.

“Okay…” And then he was turning again.

Johnny swallowed, unsure of what was happening now. He turned again, walking as fast as he could into the living room without looking suspicious. 

It was warmth the second he stepped in, Daniel closing the door of his room behind him upstairs. 

This place was good.

Johnny took his phone, noticing how little battery it had left. After taking his charger from his bag and connecting it in the first plug he found, he sat down with it and looked through his texts.

Robby’s last was around nine, it was almost eleven.

He cleared his throat, hoping to not wake up his son or ruin his night. Either way, the kid didn’t answer.

(22:48) _ just checking on you, pup _

_ Have a good night, you and Moon _

Johnny blinked a couple of times, looking at the table near the couch. The drawing there.

(22:51)  _ I love you to the Moon and to Saturn _

He hoped Robby remembered what his mother used to tell him, and what Johnny used to tell Robby.

* * *

As thought the night before, Daniel hadn’t had dinner with another person that wasn’t his kids or his mom in a very long time.

Even those, they were always filled with silence nowadays and he had no idea of how to correct it, how to apologize for his mistakes and start to make right by them again.

He felt like it showed in the way he made no conversation and only watched Johnny eat, now dressed in sweatpants he finally got him to wear and his own black shirt from the day before.

It looked good on him.

“This is great.” Johnny said after taking a fork full of meatloaf to his mouth. “Holy shit—“ He took another bite, Daniel smiled at the sight. “I could eat this forever!”

Daniel laughed, feeling his face warmth. 

He watched the man eat happily, taking big bites of meat into his mouth every time. Sighing, he did the same, finally eating after the most active afternoon he’d have in a while.

“Miguel would love this…” Johnny said, something in his voice sounded sweet but sad at the same time. “I should bring him here sometime.”

The man blinked several times, Daniel smiled as he imagined the pressure in his chest as he remembered the absence of the boy.

Sam would love this, too. It was her favorite.

“Man, I feel like I’ve eaten like a king this weekend.” 

Daniel chuckled. “Please—chicken tenders, pancakes, tuna sandwiches and meatloaf is not a big deal.”

“Mm, it is when you eat the crap I usually get.” The man laughed. Daniel shook his head as Johnny looked up. “Plus, you can make whatever and it’s going to taste like gold.” 

If he wasn’t blushing before, Daniel totally was now.

“Yeah?” He smiled. “You like how I cook?”

“I’d marry you just for that.”

He laughed louder, feeling his cheeks hurt with how much he’d been smiling for two days. 

Daniel could feel Johnny’s stare, he looked up to find him smiling at him as if he meant every word. He swallowed, holding his chin with one hand, elbow on the table.

“That easily?” He asked.

Johnny shrugged. “You’ve the three things I look for in someone, plus a big one. Sure.”

“And those are?”

“Mmm…” Johnny pretended to think of it, punctuating each with his fingers as he counted: “Hot babe. Knows karate. Cooks.” He said, making Daniel laugh again. “Plus, weird destiny connection with the Moon and Saturn and the sea.”

It was hard not to look into that.

How many people could tell a story like theirs? Said they felt connected and comfortable with each other even before realizing they were those kids at the beach?

Daniel smiled at him. It seemed to change something in Johnny as the tension in his body loosened and smiled back, a glint of recognition and a spark of something else in his blue eyes.

“So.” Johnny started. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Uhm,” Daniel sighed, “do we have anything else to do? Just ask.”

The man looked up, there was a silly sense of shyness in his eyes and it made Daniel’s stomach feel funny. Things going around, flying. Like a teenager again.

“Do you live in town when you aren’t at the lighthouse?” 

Not what Daniel was expecting but he hid his disappointment by looking up, then back at Johnny.

“Yes and no.” He said. “I mean, I—have a place in town, an apartment. But I also have a place in Boston and spend a lot of time there for my kids. Sometimes I stay in New Jersey with my mom…” He explained.

Johnny nodded and went back to his food. That was it? Daniel frowned, slowly going back to his own. Then, Johnny cleared his throat.

“When are you gonna be in town after the shift?”

Oh. Daniel swallowed.

“I’m—I’m not sure.” He answered. “I leave starting October—”

“Soon!”

“Yeah—” Daniel cleared his throat. “And, it’s my daughter’s birthday so I’ll be in Illinois, and then it’s my mother’s birthday and I’ll be in Jersey, so…” He swallowed, slowly looking at Johnny. “I don’t know.”

The man seemed to think about it, measure Daniel’s words carefully and came to a conclusion he didn’t share with him. He only nodded, taking another bit of meatloaf and stopping the conversation there.

For a second, Daniel thought he’d ask him out. Now it looked like he had regretted it after all.

Was it something he did?  _ You sounded like you were avoiding him right there _ , his head answered for him and Daniel stopped breathing for a second, looking at Johnny again who was now checking his phone and smiling down at it.

He saw him type on the phone, sighing as he left it again over the table.

“So, can I call you?” Johnny said, Daniel looked up right away. “After your mother’s birthday, can I call you? See if you’re around?”

Daniel licked his lips, looking down for a few seconds to smile to himself, then back at the man sitting at his side. He nodded, smiling wide when Johnny slid his unlocked phone towards him.

His eyes caught sight of a dark haired boy sitting on the hood of a black challenger with a brunette boy and a blonde girl that looked older than them. He wondered who was who, and who the girl could be—Johnny hadn’t mentioned any daughters, he—

“That’s my sister Claire.” He suddenly said, clicking to lead Daniel to save his number in Johnny’s phone. “Don’t make that look, man. I’m not a pervert.”

“No, no, I didn’t—I didn’t thought—” He looked at him immediately, desperate to proof he hadn’t—

“Yes, you did.” Johnny frowned, then pushed the phone closer to Daniel. “Come on, man.”

“Uh,” he sighed, embarrassed at his own dating anxiety, “yes. Of course.”

Dating—

He blinked. 

What the hell was he thinking? They weren’t dating! This didn’t mean anything! Johnny may as well just be asking for a friend’s number, someone he knows in the town where his beach house was. 

He typed the number, making sure it was correct before Johnny took the phone from his hands and saved the number himself. Johnny smiled, looking at him.

“Well, then it’s done.” He murmured. “You want mine?” Daniel only nodded, Johnny clicked something on his phone and soon, Daniel’s was vibrating on the table. “There it is.”

He saved the number, thinking of writing down just John, then decided for Johnny.

They weren’t dating.

“I’ll call you.” Johnny said, sounding like a promise as he smiled at Daniel.

“Yeah, okay.” He smiled back, swallowing before looking at their half eaten plates.

He needed to do something.

“Uh, do you want to finish this by the fireplace?” He proposed. “I’m kind of cold…”

“Sure, why not?”

They stood together, plates and glasses in hands, phones on their pockets.

As they sat down, Daniel looked around to see what he could to...  _ enhance  _ the scene. 

He threw all the pillows and sheets from the couch, hearing Johnny laugh as he moved aside to let him work. 

“This is like a Lifetime movie.” Johnny jocked, Daniel laughed with him as he kept doing his nest.

At the end, he put the comforter on the floor after the other two sheets, the pillows over it, and then themselves and their food.

He crawled to the fire, throwing in a few logs to make sure it was perfect—then went back into their pillow nest and sat down in front of Jonny with a little smile.

“Nice.” Johnny smiled at him, then showed him his phone. “Wanna hear some music?”

“Sure.”

Sitting here with this man was like a blast from the past.

From their beach days to their old school karate experiences they shared as they eat, to the music they were listening to—ballads and other cheesy stuff from when they were young and senior year seemed like the end of their best moment, breaking up the end of the world.

But he liked it here, in the warmth and the comfort, the songs he himself loved and knew every word of.

He could stay here forever.

“You said your first time was with a guy,” Johnny said, Daniel blinked. “How young were you?”

“Why do you wanna know that, uh?” He smiled. 

The man shrugged. “Just getting to know you…” He said, sighing. “I was very young during my first. Fifteen. Thankfully, it was with a girl as young as me. And we did like each other very much. It was…” He smiled a little, it looked more like he was feeling sorry for those kids they were, “short. Awkward. Boring…”

“Come on! I bet you were in loooove.” Daniel joked, making Johnny roll his eyes. “I can see it, you guys were super in love or something, and decided to give each other  _ everything _ — _ “ _

“Fuck off!”

“And when the time came, you had no idea of what to do!”

For his silence, Daniel understood he had been right. He laughed, the man in front of him frowned for a second but soon found himself laughing with him. 

It was so juvenile, all of that and all of this as they laughed about sex and teenage awkwardness. 

They were grown men now, they knew what they were doing—Johnny knew exactly where to touch him and how. It was almost maddening the way he had been so good to Daniel.

“Well, mine wasn’t so bad, actually.” Daniel said. “I was a reasonable kid and waited to be older—”

“Mhm…”

“Shut up.” Daniel frowned, Johnny looked like he was biting his tongue not to laugh. “I was in college, first year. We drunk kissed a couple of times, until one day it finally happened. I remember it being messy, but I liked it.” He sighed. “I don’t…”

“What?”

“I don’t… actually have a lot of experience.” He confessed, looking down at Johnny’s socks. “Uhm,” Daniel looked up at his face, “with men. I mean. With men.”

Johnny nodded. 

“What do you like?”

“I—” He chuckled, incredulous of having his conversation right now. “I don’t--I don’t know…”

Daniel distracted himself eating. He had only two bites left, so he made them last. He could feel and see Johnny’s movements in front of him, but the man didn’t insist. Not now at least.

It wasn’t until he was done with his food that he spoke again after leaving the plate over the table near the couch.

“Think better of it, LaRusso.” Johnny said, Daniel looked up. “I still owe you four orgasms.”

Daniel’s face felt on fire. He looked down again as Johnny laughed. 

God, he wanted them. He wanted this man.

It was ridiculous how much, really—Daniel couldn’t remember the last time he wanted someone this much, that he had felt as connected to someone during sex. But—

“I’m… i’m a little full right now.” Daniel murmured.

Johnny smiled at him, nodding. He lay down on the comforter, sighing with closed eyes.

“I know.” He answered. “Just lay down, enjoy the music.”

“We’re gonna fall asleep again…” Daniel said, leaving his plate aside and then crawling closer to Johnny.

He took a pillow and put it under his head. The man rolled over, suddenly very close to him and Daniel turned his head to look at him and it felt—good. Johnny passed an arm over his belly, buried his nose on his neck… and stayed there.

Daniel blinked a couple of times, unsure of what to do with it.

At the end, he simply did as told. He laid there with him and cuddled at his side, enjoying the music and the fire.

There was something, though—

“I—“ Daniel cleared his throat. “I mean it, man. When I said I don’t have a lot of experience with men…”

Johnny didn’t answer right away. He gave his neck a soft kiss, then nosed at the area and cuddled closer to Daniel.

“It’s okay.”

“Okay.” Daniel sighed. “Uh—“

“Tell me.”

They weren’t looking at each other.

Daniel kept his eyes up, looking at the ceiling as he thought his next words over and over again.

“I’ve never—” He swallowed. “I’ve never given a blowjob.”

“Oh.” Johnny sat down, looking back at Daniel. “Please tell me you have gotten one.”

He threw one of the smaller pillows at Johnny’s face with a frown. “Of course I have!”

“So you don’t give head?” He frowned, throwing the pillow back.

Daniel catched it before it hit his face. “I do! But—I’ve only gotten one from a guy and it was—okay, but the chance never came up again, so I just—it never happened.”

Was this too much? They were sharing way too much, weren’t they? Daniel swallowed, Johnny seemed to search something on his face. If he found it, he couldn’t tell.

But then he smiled.

“You wanna learn?”

“Johnny…” He murmured, sure he was red again.

“It’ll be fun.” Johnny assured him with a dirty smirk. “I mean—of course for me, but also for you.”

“I don’t know…”

“Hey.” Johnny put a hand on Daniel’s chest. “No pressure, okay?” He smiled. “How about I show you a good time?”

Daniel swallowed. Hard and visibly, he was sure. Johnny chuckled, but didn’t seem malicious at all. He was genuinely enjoying this.

“Okay…” He murmured, nodding like a kid.

“Mhm.” Johnny looked all around his body as he lay on the floor. “We need… stuff.” He said. “Do you—do you have lube?”

His cheeks hurt, face too hot. Daniel signaled vaguely towards the stairs.

“You wanna go for it?”

He nodded, slowly standing up and getting into the stairs almost by pure instinct because this—this was so fucking sureal.

This man truly intended to make his wildest dreams true and give him six orgasms. At their age! There was no way—he had already come twice today. This was likely his last until hours of sleep. In no world did Johnny didn’t feel as exhausted and full as him.

Still, Daniel looked for the bottle of lube and a couple of condoms—just in case—from his nightstand. 

He took the chance to bring in more sheets and also take a look at himself in the mirror of his bathroom, washing his teeth, then actually using the toilet. He washed up again, heart suddenly hammering as he realized what was to happen downstairs.

By the time he made it back to the fireplace, Johnny was in the kitchen doing the dishes and the music was off, phone plugged to its charger.

Daniel sighed, adding the sheets into the nest and leaving the stuff over it before standing to go search for Johnny when the man walked in.

“I’m—I’m gonna use the bathroom real quick, okay?”

“Sure.”

He didn’t cross the room to get into the visit’s bathroom, he went upstairs and Daniel smiled as he was almost sure he had gone up to do exactly the same Daniel had before.

So, he laid down and sighed, smiling to himself and the ceiling.

* * *

Robby had texted him back.

It was only one of those yellow faces on the phone, one with pink cheeks and a smile. It had made Johnny’s night—and told him all he needed to dare step forward and make sure he may see the lighthouse keeper again.

Because Daniel had a tattoo of the little phrase his mother used to tell Johnny she loved him.

He had said it to Daniel as kids and he remembered. He remembered it so well, he put it on his skin, the memory of it providing comfort in spite of being one tiny summer in all his years of living and loving.

Johnny had only said that to three people who weren’t his mother. Daniel, and then Shannon—and not Ali, not Ben or even Bobby, not any of the people he ever dated but Shannon—, and after that didn’t work out but gave him a son, to Robby.

And Robby said it back to them, his parents. He said it to his girlfriend, and she said it to him as well.

Daniel’s kids heard it, owned it too. Saw it tattooed on their father’s shoulder.

Just like a folk song, Laura’s love had been passed around and, somehow, it had come back to him.

This was good, whatever it was.

Daniel had been his friend once, as kids, and for a long time he couldn’t remember even his face but Johnny had been sure—this was the first boy he ever saw that way. How he felt for him was different fromhow he felt for other friends.

And now, with every passing minute, Johnny felt like more of that week was coming back—more of those feelings and thoughts.

His mother talking to Daniel’s, a lady with long curly hair. Daniel’s dad buying popsicles for them, teaching Johnny how to build good walls for his sand castle. Daniel taking his hand as they walked on the shore, searching for seashells.

It was a surreal thing and a part of him wanted to say fuck it and runaway, rain be dammed…

But he’d seen that face and immediately felt something. 

He’d seen the way Daniel held the comforter over his shoulders, how he smiled and tried his best not to come off as strange after being alone for so long.

That he was that kid from the beach so many years ago was just fairytale.

Johnny looked at himself in the mirror as he finished cleaning his teeth. He blinked, spitting on the sink after as he was done and decided it was time to go back.

By the time he was walking into the room, Daniel had put on music on his little speaker tube thing from this morning, and was laying on the floor with closed eyes.

Johnny watched him there, apparently sleeping, relaxed and looking alive in comparison to the man that opened his house and his island to him the day before. His heart hurt knowing he had made a difference in him, just by being around.

It was a powerful ego booster.

He walked in, careful not to wake him up. But the man opened his eyes and looked up at him, smiling softly after seeing him. Johnny sighed, laying at his side and putting a hand over his chest, caressing up and down.

“Sorry.” He said. “Wanted to clean up a bit.”

“It’s fine.” Daniel sighed. “This is nice.”

“Yeah, I know.” Johnny smiled at him, leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “I know.”

* * *

“Have you done this before?” Johnny asked for God knows what time. 

They’ve been fooling around since he came back from the bathroom, touching here and there over their clothes until they were hard and ready.

He’d let Johnny take off his pants, his boxers.

Johnny had kissed his calf, licked on the skin as he gently massaged his bad knee, peppering in kisses every inch of his he could get as he made a path to Daniel’s crotch. His breathing hitched as Johnny’s graced his dick, a sweet kitten lick given to his glans made him moan.

There, he had proposed something else.

He’d done it before, Daniel was no stranger to—to anal sex and other plays. It just wasn’t so common for him.

Usually, he found himself on the given end, he had only been able to stop his controlling nature with two people before and both women had been his best. There was complicity and intimacy with them, and somehow—

Daniel nodded. 

“Are you sure?”

“God, I shouldn’t have told you about that…” Daniel swallowed. “Yes. I’m sure.” And then cleared his throat looking away. “I like it…”

“Right.”

He looked back in time to see Johnny smiling at himself as he got between Daniel’s legs, warming the lube with his fingers. He parted Daniel’s legs further apart, concentrating on his entrance as he looked at the ceiling, embarrassed at being seen like this.

It wasn’t like—like he was ashamed of  _ being _ —he was beyond that now.

But this intimacy, he had no idea from where it had come from.

Johnny moved with confidence, as if he already knew Daniel’s body. He pulled his left cheek apart, circling his entrance with the tip of his finger. The wet shock made Daniel whimper softly, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the sensation on his rim.

It had been a while since he last had sex, even more so that he was last with a man. Yet this felt good—great actually, fucking  _ amazing  _ as Johnny’s finger entered him slowly until it was buried to the second knuckle.

He curled it inside and Daniel moaned in a low way that made him sound like he was scared to be heard. Johnny kissed his thigh and continued to stretch him slowly, making him whimper more often as he became faster and firmer, added another finger and scissored them in him.

It was then, when Daniel was openly moaning and making attempts at moving his hips, when Johnny sucked gently on the tip of his cock, and all he could do was moan louder.

Johnny laughed against his crown, the vibrations making Daniel curl his toes before the man took him all at once.

“Fuck!”

He didn’t go easy on him, though his fingers were gentler as they keep getting impossible deeper in. Johnny bobbed his head up and down, easily taking Daniel into his wanting and warm mouth, making him feel in Heaven just with this.

Daniel put a hand on Johnny’s head, pulling at his hair as he let himself go—each time moaning louder, moving insistently as he wanted to reach his climax yet stay like this for as long as he could.

The man thrusted his fingers in and touched Daniel’s prostate with them, making his eyes open wide as he moaned at the sensation. It slowly went around his body and before he could recover from it, Johnny touched it again and kept his fingers there.

“John—“

He let out his cock with a  _ pop _ sound that made Daniel blush.

“Relax.” He answered hoarsely. “I bet you’ve never done this before.”

“What…?” Daniel panted, holding himself up by his arms, looking where Johnny was nested between his legs with his fingers inside him.

The man looked up with a smirk.

“This…” And he gently touched his prostate again, his feet curled as his eyes closed, mouth wide open. “Like this,” he did it again and again, “and this.”

“Johnny—fuck, fuck, shit—FUCK!”

“Lay down, baby.”

Daniel nodded still with closed eyes, slowly going back to lay on his back over the several sheets and comforter. He couldn’t even tell what song was on—all he could feel was Johnny’s fingers gently massaging his insides, his prostate.

The echo of each touch numbed his body after a while. All he could do was moan and hold back tears as the overstimulation became too much—yet he couldn’t find it in himself to make him stop.

He didn’t want him to.

Daniel’s eyes opened, a tear went down his face.

Sowly, the fingers started to move again, in and out, touching his prostate with each thrust.

It was all so slow and gentle, it was almost frustrating. Except that he was seeing stars, pooling precome on his belly as Johnny kissed the space between his entrance and his balls, licking his way up to the base of his cock where he left tiny kisses before licking the long of his shaft.

He maintained Daniel open with one hand on his thigh, holding him so firm, Daniel was sure he’ll have his fingers marked on his skin for a while, and he loved it.

Johnny sucked on his glans, passed his tongue on his slit, cleaning the precome there before swallowing him again.

“Oh—” He arched his back, eyes closed again as those fingers reached his prostate. “John, I’m—I’m—”

The man squeezed his thigh hard, kept his cock inside his mouth and his fingers inside Daniel. Suddenly, he was sucking harder on him, hollowing his cheeks with expertise, and his fingers—he hit his prostate with the tip of them over and over again in fast and short movements.

Daniel threw his head back, mouth open in an O as his chest widened.

He felt hot all over, muscles tensing as his dick twitched inside Johnny’s mouth and with a deep moan of an attempt at his name, Daniel came.

It felt like he came for hours, sweat rolling down his skin as he felt touched everywhere, and all he could do was enjoy it with closed eyes as a huge smile started to form on his face.

Daniel laughed, very aware of how  _ fantastic  _ it had been—and how Johnny had swallowed his entire load.

“Are you okay?” Johnny asked.

His eyes opened, Johnny was gently passing his thumb over Daniel’s cheek, drying the tears that had fallen in pleasure. He nodded, not finding any words as his eyes trailed down Johnny’s body, eyes immediately glued to the bulge in his pants.

“Yeah…” He murmured. “Uhm, I--” He looked up. “I can help with that.”

Johnny chuckled, leaning down to kiss him.

Confident, Daniel pulled him closer by his shirt, getting a knee between his legs to touch him. Johnny moaned into the kiss, hands grabbing at Daniel’s hoodie as if to keep him in place. So he did, letting the man grind on his leg as they kept kissing.

It felt hot against his skin, the way Johnny rubbed himself almost desperately on his knee. Daniel smiled to himself as Johnny gasped against his mouth, eyes closed while he sneaked his hand down until he was playing with the elastic of his pants.

“Hey,” Daniel called, Johnny didn’t stop moving while looking up. “I—I wanna try it…”

“Uhm,” Johnny moaned, looking away with a frown and closed eyes, as if his words had more power than the friction between his dick and his knee. “Fuck—”

“That’s a yes?”

“Fuck yeah, man.” He lifted himself up. “Come on—“

Daniel blinked a couple of times, watching as Johnny walked towards the couch again. He sat there, seeing Johnny put down his pamts, letting them slide to his feet then kicking them away.

“Daniel,” He said, making him look up. Had he called his name before? “Here, on your knees.”

He swallowed, nodding as he crawled towards him without thinking.

“Jesus—” Johnny chuckled, putting down his boxers before sitting on the couch with his legs open for him. “Good boy.”

Daniel rolled his eyes at him, but felt giddy anyway.

It had been a while—this was something he used to do with his ex-wife; to listen to her and do as she said. It was fun for them, it looked and felt like fun with Johnny as he got himself comfortable between his legs and put his eyes on the target.

Johnny’s cock stood engorged and intimidating, but still—he wanted it.

He swallowed, looking up at Johnny, who was looking down at him with a smirk.

“Are you sure?” He whispered and if Daniel had any doubts before, they disappeared with it.

With the gentleness of his voice, the concern on his face, the genuine affection he held for Daniel even though they didn’t know each other. Or did they? He never thought of himself as a romantic that believes in Meant to Be, Soul Mates, what have you.

Yet, he had to admit, the tattoo on the back of his shoulder spoke of years of yearning for a face he couldn't remember, that he had loved even before he knew what love was like. 

Back then, it had been innocent, kids that play together and promise each other to be friends forever and move to India. He had grown into a responsible and lonely adult, thinking of the past and wondering if he could ever go back to when things were sunny.

The storm brought it back after he stopped asking and searching for it, it brought back that sunny Summer.

They were men now. They saw each other and recognized something in the other, something that pulled them together in just one day—and even knowing Johnny was leaving soon, Daniel was sure it won’t end there.

He was sure, this time, none of them would forget.

“Yes.”

* * *

Daniel was good.

He smiled prettily but had a sarcastic humor that made him smirk like a little shit after replyin to whatever stupid shit Johnny had said.

The moment his eyes landed on his face, Johnny had liked it.

His funny elf nose with its cute puffy end, the freckle on it. 

The big doe eyes that reminded him of Bambi and everything sweet.

Roundish cheeks but a sharp jaw, pink lips and an eager mouth that didn’t shut up, didn’t stop amazing him.

He opened that mouth wide like Johnny had told him, let out his tongue flat and looked up with those big eyes.

Johnny’s cock twitched.

“God—“ He swallowed, taking his dick with one hand, stroking it once. 

Daniel’s eyes left his face to look at it and Johnny smiled, stroking himself a couple of times and watching the way the man kept watching, salivating with his mouth still open.

His cock twitched again.

“See what you do to me?” 

Daniel looked up again, blinking almost innocently. 

There was a spark in his eyes—he was doing it on  _ purpose _ .

_ He knows. _

“Ah,” Johnny caressed his face with the back of his fingers, holding his chin up at the end, “you do.”

Daniel’s pupils became darker in the light of the fire, his fingers gripping harder at Johnny’s naked thighs.

He gave his cock a couple of strokes as he held Daniel’s face in place by his chin, Daniel’s eyes glued to his movements without complaint, never looking unsure or awkward in spite of this being his first time on his knees.

“Gentle.” Johnny reminded him, laying the head of his cock on the path of Daniel’s tongue.

The man had followed it with his eyes, looked up when Johnny talked and blinked.

“Taste it first, don’t hurry it.” He murmured, holding himself from thrusting into that willing mouth. “Try—fuck.”

Daniel passed his tongue slowly over his crown, effectively tasting his dick. His tongue went back to his mouth, Johnny saw him swallow and savor what he was experiencing for the first time. 

He smiled.

Leaning forward, the man took Johnny’s shaft and gave a couple of strokes, slowly diving in again to this time lick the long of it like he’d done to Daniel’s earlier tonight.

His tongue was perfectly wet and warm, it traced the veins as if he knew each already, and dared get closer to pepper his pelvis in kisses as his hand stroked him again.

“Good, that’s… that’s so good…” Johnny encouraged. 

Daniel looked up for a second and smiled.

He went back to licking, closing his eyes as he circled his crown and gave it an experimental suck, making Johnny moan with a pleasured frown.

“Is that—?”

“It’s great, sweetheart.” Johnny sighed, closing his eyes as he threw his head back. “Now, gently—start getting as much of it as you want into your pretty mouth…”

“Uh,” He felt him lick his lips, “yeah…”

Daniel kissed the head of his cock sweetly, making Johnny open his eyes and look down to what he was doing.

He seemed concentrated as he held Johnny in one hand and opened his mouth over his crown, slowly taking the tip and an inch more.

Johnny put a hand on his right cheek, caressing there to call his attention.

The lighthouse keeper looked up, mouth still on his cock.

“Suck on it nice and easy like you did before.”

Daniel nodded as he could, looking back to his work.

He made a sucking motion, Johnny felt goosebumps all over his body, the hair on his legs and arms standing. It was so good.

“Try… Try to take some more, Daniel.”

The man nodded again, slowly daring to take more than Johnny thought he would.

He hissed, immediately making Daniel take him out with wide open eyes, looking up in fear as Johnny shook his head, the little pain of his teeth brushing his skin still dissipating.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes—“

“I’m so sorry, I’m—“

“Hey, hey, hey.” Johnny stopped his ramblings, the deep frown on his face didn’t look like fun. He put a hand gently on his cheek. “You did nothing wrong, it’s fine.” He cleared his throat. “Just… careful with your teeth.”

“Oh.” His cheeks turned pink, he looked down slowly. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s your first time.” Johnny shrugged, Daniel looked up with a tiny smile. “Just be careful.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “It’s my first time…”

Johnny blinked a couple of times.

There was something in his tone, it had sounded as if he was telling it to himself with that giddiness of before, like—

_ He likes it. _

“Oh.” Johnny chuckled. “So you are into that.”

Daniel looked up. “Aren’t you?”

Fuck.

“Damn,” Johnny swallowed, relaxing again as Daniel smiled at him, “you’re—you’re fucking hot.”

He smiled again, eyes softening as he timidly moved to take his cock into his mouth again, this time almost completely and much more careful than the last time.

Johnny let out a soft pleased sigh, eyes closing as he slowly threw his head back, putting a hand behind Daniel’s head gently—just laying there, not moving or directing, just to assure him he was enjoying it.

“Up…” Johnny murmured. “Let your lips and tongue drag, baby. Slowly. Up.”

Ever so slowly, Daniel obeyed.

His belly contracted—Daniel wasn’t incredible at it, not just yet, but his mouth was warm and wet, his enthusiasm the best aphrodisiac he’s ever had. 

The man was looking at him, waiting for his orders.

_ He likes this, too. _

“You’re doing so well.” Johnny assured him, caressing his hair gently. “You think you’re ready to go a bit faster?”

Daniel nodded happily.

“Are you sure?”

The man rolled his eyes, but nodded again. Johnny smiled at him.

“Use your words, sweetheart. You talk so much and so nicely, I know you have them there.”

Daniel’s cheeks went pink again, he kept his eyes on Johnny’s as he started to stroke his dick again. Johnny shivered in pleasure, this was so good—

“Y-yes.” Daniel finally said, Johnny nodded.

“Open that pretty mouth.”

The man smiled at him, leaning down with his mouth open and swallowing him almost completely.

Johnny moaned aloud, fingers stretching on Daniel’s head as the man started to bob his head slowly. He could imagine what was going on in that head--trying to imitate what he liked, what he’s seen over the years. And it was good.

It really was good.

He kept himself from thrusting in, chasing the heat of his throat and his tongue.

“Hollow your cheeks—” He moaned as Daniel did as told. “Perfect—baby, you’re so good—”

Daniel bobbed his head again, this time faster and each time more confident. He used his hand to stroke him, following his own rhythm and making Johnny feel every single touch of his tongue, his palm, the roof of his mouth—he exhaled heavily, taking a deep breath with his mouth and thrusting his hips just once.

For a second, Daniel didn’t move. Johnny opened his eyes to see if he had fucked up—but the man was just blinking, looking into Johnny’s pelvis. Swallowing, Johnny pushed his head slightly and the man took on the message right way, going back to sucking on his cock with closed eyes.

It was like this that he eventually tried to deepthroat Johnny. The sensation, his breathing so close to his skin—his stomach hardened again, pleasure becoming pressure in the pit of his belly, heart beating faster and faster with each bob of his head, how close he was to truly take him to the root.

He continued like that, taking small breaks to breathe in and out while masturbaitng him with his hand, looking up at his face and the way Johnny couldn’t stop moaning and praising him for everything he did—the way he did it, how good it was even without experience.

Maybe they were just made to fit, maybe he was infatuated. But Daniel was incredible and Johnny was coming soon.

Daniel passed his tongue over his slit, blinking as he went away a little to savor—he licked his lips, swallowing again, blinking as he watched Johnny’s headcock appear and disappear on his fist—Daniel leaned down again, licking the head clean from precome.

“Fuck!” Johnny moaned, Daniel looked up and he swore he was smiling as he got Johnny’s cock in his mouth again. “Shit, Daniel—”

His toes curled at the sight and Johnny couldn't stop himself from watching. Daniel bobbed his head enthusiastically, trying his best to keep his teeth away, salivating a little but not enough just yet—but his tongue was glorious, of course it would be with how sharp it was with those comebacks.

Johnny pushed his head further, Daniel obeyed and slowly took him in as much he could, keeping him there as he only sucked, tongue caressing as much he could reach. He let go of his head and Daniel obediently kept bobbing with closed eyes, hands wandering on Johnny’s thighs and abdomen.

“Daniel,” He moaned, “I’m—I’m gonna—I’m gonna come, baby—“

Daniel stopped, looking up.

He blinked a couple of times, thinking what coul— _ oh _ .

“You don’t have to swallow.” Johnny said quickly. “It’s your first, don’t—”

Daniel let go of his dick, holding him with his hand, storking lazily.

“Uh…” Johnny moaned. The sensitivity of him kept building his orgasm. “I can just—”

“Here.” Daniel signaled his-open mouth, his face. “It’s okay.”

“God, you’re dirty.” Johnny said, feeling his dick twitch again as he took it in his hand.

Daniel blinked, keeping his own hands on Johnny’s thighs as he stroked himself right in front of Daniel’s face, keeping up the speed as his entire body started to react to his upcoming climax. 

“Shit—”

This was such a pretty view, the image the lighthouse keeper made on his knees with his soft sweater and hoodie on, naked from the waist down only.

Mouth wide open, eyes looking hungry as precome kept coming out Johnny’s dick and—his cock twitched, and he was coming on his hand and Daniel’s face.

The man closed his eyes, gasped softly at the sensation of warm liquid on his face. 

The way he took out his tongue and liked his bottom lip where a drop or two of his seed had fallen, savoring it as his eyes opened and looked at Johnny, got him wanting to have the same stamina he had as a young man and last all night, making this man come over and over again.

Like this, he was still so beautiful.

Johnny smiled at the sight: Daniel cleaning his own face with his hands, licking come from it before looking up at him with a smile. He shook his head, ready to give him shit when the man took his dirty hand, licking it clean.

He sucked at Johnny’s fingers, making him  _ laugh _ , feeling his cheeks warm—

Johnny pulled on Daniel’s hoodie, making him stand slowly until Daniel fell on Johnny’s lap and chest on the couch, both suddenly so tired and spent.

“That was great.” Johnny said. “Shit, that was amazing.”

“I already sucked your dick, you don’t need to keep complimenting me...” Daniel said, cheeks pink.

“Yeah, and it was your first time and I’m not lying here—you did well.”

Daniel blinked a couple of times, giving him a tiny smile as if he wasn’t used to the compliment. It was almost insulting that he wouldn’t be—a man like this, he deserved every word.

“How do you feel?” Johnny asked against his temple.

“Sleepy.” He murmured. “Good.”

Johnny buried his nose in Daniel’s hair, caressing his back under his shirt and hoodie, wondering where they will be today next year, and if the storm had passed.

They stayed there in silence for long minutes, until Johnny sighed and kissed Daniel’s temple, waking him up with a little smile so they would stand up, get dressed and put off the fair.

In the back of his head, Johnny could hear his mother singing in the small apartment they lived in when they first came to town for the Summer. He could hear her as Daniel’s fingers brushed his while walking towards the stairs, as Johnny took his hand and made him turn around.

“What?”

He pushed the man to his body, kissing him softly for a long time.

“Nothing.” He answered, making Daniel smile.

The man took his hand, the song was ending as they walked upstairs, putting off lights and closing doors. 

He could hear the last words of his mother’s sweet voice as the leak in the hallway downstairs echoed the house, as they entered Daniel’s bedroom and closed the door.

As they took off their pants, Daniel’s hoodie and Johnny's jacket, and lay down together in bed facing each other.

_ It had to be you, wonderful you _

Daniel smiled at him, slowly moving towards him without saying a word. So he lay down on his back, immediately welcoming the warm body gently pressed against his as Daniel cuddled himself between his shoulder and chest.

“Good night, John.”

“Night, Daniel.”

_ Had to be you _

* * *

In the dream, Daniel didn’t live alone and ships left the sea to join the sky.

Like in Robby’s drawing, a kid he had never met, the ships traveled the starry sky in search of the Moon and Saturn. And he was there, too. 

He was a child again, with his messy black hair and his freckles, taking the hand of a little Johnny whose hair was even blonder. 

Together they crossed the starlight sea, passing the Moon where a Lighthouse shone in its darkest side. A young Mr. Miyagi with his wife, a woman he never knew, waved at them as she carried her baby, a kid that never lived.

Daniel and Johnny became teenagers, Johnny a boy he had no idea what he looked like but whose blue eyes put the ocean and all these stars to shame. They held hands as their mothers, young and with their long hair in braids, waved at them from a cloud.

They became young men and kissed under clouds of asteroids, passing planets and dying stars, becoming older with each kiss, until it was them and only them in that ship.

Daniel looked Johnny in the eyes, wanting to ask if he’ll leave him like anybody else, if he was just here to leave him sad and alone with his departure now that the storm had passed. But no words came out his mouth as they approached Saturn.

Blinking, Daniel saw as Johnny turned to look at the planet too.

The man took his hand and they watched.

Then, his eyes opened.

It was still dark, raining so strong, the window vibrated with each pull of the wind that threw water towards it.

Daniel blinked a couple of times, looking at the widow over his bed and the way the darkness was illuminated by the lighthouse outside.

It reminded him of meeting Mr. Miyagi—of when they moved here and he was upset about it, how it rained that Summer, how much he didn’t want to be here, and what a relief it had been to find a friend, someone to talk to and who would listen.

He blinked again, aware now of the person spooning him.

Johnny was sleeping calmly. At some point of the night, they had moved enough for him to pass his arm over Daniel’s waist lazily. 

He looked down, eyes already used to the semi-dark the lighthouse provided, and took Johnny’s hand, lasing their fingers and leaving it over his chest, sighing as he closed his eyes again.

All he could think of was the dream and the different people in it. 

Daniel had no idea what any of it meant. This entire weekend felt like a dream, something his loneliness had made up as he looked to nowhere in particular while sitting in the control room of the tower.

But seeing Mr. Miyagi and his family as he saw them once in pictures left him with a strong feeling of yearning.

Sam and Anthony were sleeping in other cities, their mother spooning with her soon-to-be husband as the house he had paid was left in darkness and stillness. And it wasn’t that he was jealous Amanda had rebuilt her life, it was just the misery of being away from the life he always thought was all he wanted.

But Mr. Miyagi had passed away, he hadn’t been there when it happened. And as he left, so did Daniel until all Amanda could see in him was an empty vessel of the man she had married. 

Now, he kept the light for his mentor. He kept it for the boy he was, those that are lost.

The storm arose furiously, hitting the window each time, and Daniel was wide awake the moment the power in the house went down, making everything even quieter. He blinked a couple of times, waiting for it to come back as it always did.

“Shit.” He murmured after more than five minutes had passed. 

The lighthouse itself had its own generator, Daniel knew it was safe and going as usual, but the house was another story—commonly, whatever problem there was with the power during storms, they weren’t strong enough to leave him in darkness for more than five minutes.

But today, it didn’t want to cooperate. 

“It’s raining again?” Johnny asked behind him, voice hoarse and charged with sleepiness.

Daniel couldn’t help the smile. “Yeah…” He sighed, feeling as Johnny came closer and buried his nose on Daniel’s neck. “Good morning to you, too.”

“Morning? Already?”

He felt him move on the bed, hand still on his chest, now holding his hand with a strong grip, not even questioning how they had ended up like this. Not that it really mattered.

“Shit, it’s still night.” Johnny said after looking at the clock, it was four in the morning. “Shh, go back to sleep.”

Daniel chuckled. “The power is down.”

“Uhm.” Johnny sighed, slowly going away from Daniel’s body until he rolled on his back. “Shit, do you want me to check it?”

“Nah.” He sighed. “It will eventually come back.” Daniel turned to look at the man. “Sorry I woke you up.”

Johnny looked back, smiling when their eyes met.

“Not your fault.” He murmured.

Slowly, he leaned down and kissed the tip of his nose, making Daniel smile as he got closer to the man. 

“I had a dream about you.”

“Uhm.” Johnny kissed his temple, then his cheek. “Did we kiss in it?” Johnny asked, putting a hand on Daniel’s cheek as he nodded. “Like this?” 

He kissed Daniel softly, lazily locking their lips together without moving any further, just enjoying each other’s warmth and taste.

Daniel laughed against Johnny’s lips.

“More like this—“ 

He kissed Johnny firmly, passing his tongue softly between his lips until his mouth opened with a soft moan. 

Daniel knotted his fingers on his hair, pulled at it gently as Johnny’s tongue caressed his and—he could do this forever, get used to this warmth, this man and his hands.

“Wow,” Johnny murmured against Daniel’s mouth. “I like your dreams.”

He giggled, slowly moving until he was pretty much laying on Johnny’s chest with his chin over his hands, looking at his face in the semi-dark.

“No way I’m sleeping after that.” 

Daniel chuckled, shaking his head. 

He was about to shorten the distance between them for another kiss when lightning illuminated the room, making him look up to the window before thunder echoed in the island.

“Fuck—“ Johnny sat on the bed, making Daniel follow. “Fuck this rain, I can’t believe it’s still raining.”

Daniel swallowed, biting his tongue to avoid saying somehing stupid. 

The man had his son alone with his girlfriend, and was only eighteen—his mother and her dad, would probably have a lot to say if they found out Johnny wasn’t there the weekend.

He looked up, watching Johnny bit his bottom lip as he looked out the window, pensive.

“It may pass later.” Daniel suggested, is all he could do.

After a while, Johnny answered. “I need to go, I really do.”

“I know.”

“It’s just—“ He passed both hands through his hair with closed eyes, making it a messier nest of gold. Daniel smiled. “Shit, this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

A sting was felt in his chest, Daniel swallowed.

“I mean, I—“ Johnny looked at him, Daniel looked away at his night table. “I don’t—I don’t regret it, I don’t regret what happened here, just—“

“I know.” Daniel repeated, getting his lamp on for when the power may come back. He looked back at Johnny, leaning his back on the wall. “I understand. You need to see Robby.”

There wasn’t an answer or even a sound, Daniel looked up at the man after a few seconds, frowning at the amused expression on his face.

“What?”

“Nothing, just—“ He smiled, looking away. “You guys haven’t met yet, but you call him by his name.” Johnny looked at him. “I like that.”

His face felt warm, Daniel cleared his throat as he checked his phone quickly, finding way too many notifications he wasn’t looking into any time soon.

Johnny got closer, making Daniel look at him before he was kissing his neck under his ear.

He couldn’t help the happy sigh that followed.

“My—“ Daniel tried but had to laugh at the tickles of his lips insisting on little kisses to his neck and behind his ear. “Johnnnnn—“

The kisses became loud, obviously there to comfort him and make him laugh, so Daniel did. He laughed as Johnny’s playfulness silenced his anxiety for the time being.

He let the man drag him to sit between his legs. Daniel turned, leaning his head on his shoulder as he sighed, Johnny rounded him with his arms and they stayed like that in silence as the storm fell down louder.

Daniel sighed.

“My daughter’s name is Samantha. Sam.” He said, feeling Johnny nod. “She’s gonna turn eighteen soon.” Daniel licked his lips. “My son’s name is Anthony. Sometimes I call him Antonio--my dad’s name was Antonio, but my ex-wife said it wouldn’t sound well with his middle name, so…”

“Yeah.” Johnny murmured against his hair. “Henry, uh?”

“Yes.” Daniel blinked. This was the Henry he met so long ago, someone he thought he’ll never see again. “He’s twelve. He can’t stand me.”

Johnny laughed at that, sounding amused. He kissed the top of his head, Daniel looked up about to ask when the man smiled at him.

“You called him Henry, you passed on the curse of that name.”

“What?” His eyebrows went up. “What the hell?”

Johnny chuckled. “It was my grandfather’s name and he was…” He hissed, frowning as he looked down at Daniel again. “He wasn’t exactly the best person.” Johnny leaned his back on the wall, Daniel sat in front of him. “It was my father’s middle name too, also a piece of shit.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well,” Daniel blinked, hoping this wasn’t too much. “You’re not. And I named my son after you, not them.”

The man blinked, eyes crystal clear. He cleared his throat, looking away before putting a hand on Daniel’s knee.

“So, I guess the car accident is what left your leg like that?”

Daniel bit his tongue again, trying his best to keep it together and not laugh or show his surprise at the sudden change of theme. This man couldn’t take a damn compliment, it seemed—he wondered what else he would get to know with the passing of time.

Even though he knew who he was and was sure of many things about him, his character, his ways, there was still an infinite river of things to know. 

It was exciting.

He smiled at him. “Yeah.” He sighed, leaving it at that.

Johnny would understand.

The man looked up at him, rubbing his knee. There was a thank you in those eyes, one Daniel smiled at.

_ No problem. _

“Can I ask you something?” Daniel said, aware all they did during these quiet moments was to play twenty questions. Johnny nodded. “So… all this time we’ve been together, you have never accepted a beer or whiskey from me.”

“Mhm.”

“Is…” Daniel licked between his lips, Johnny had looked away again with his hand still covering Daniel’s knee. “Is there a reason in particular?”

He took his time to answer and in that silence, Daniel understood what the reason probably was. He nodded mostly to himself, he could get it too, he could accept it as Johnny was accepting his blues and scars.

“I’m an alcoholic.” Johnny said at the end. “A recovering one.”

Daniel nodded.

“I was… I was drunk the day my son was born and I didn’t show up.” He confessed, Daniel looked up remembering Johnny had already told him this. He let him talk anyway. “I was drunk for most of his childhood, most of his adolescence…” He shrugged. “And when I stopped drinking, I kept failing him but at least now I was conscient of it and could try to be better.”

“For how long have you been sober?”

Johnny swallowed. “Twenty months.”

“That’s good, John.” He said, putting a hand over Johnny’s on his knee. The man looked at him, Daniel smiled. “You didn’t even hesitate saying no this weekend. You should be proud of yourself, man.” 

Johnny blinked.

“I’m proud of you.”

Then smiled, a tiny little nothing that made Daniel’s heart jump in his chest.

“So, does your son know karate?”

“Yeah.” Johnny answered right away, probably grateful for the change of theme again. “He’s very good, actually. Won second place at the local tournament once, first place the next year, second again this year.”

“That’s amazing!” 

The man smiled from ear to ear, pride coming off his entire body as he said, “Yes. He and Miguel are the best in the Valley.”

Daniel blinked a couple of times, just wondering.

“Miguel is your student, right?”

“Oh, yeah.” Johnny sighed. “He won first place at the tournament against Robby, next year second place also against Robby, and third year first again… against Robby.”

Daniel shook his head, chuckling as Johnny laughed.

“And you trained both?”

There was silence then. Johnny shook his head, looking away.

Oh.

“Tried to, but—Robby didn’t like seeing me with the other students, especially Miguel. He said my favorite was obviously him and it was such a fucking mess.” He shook his head again, looking down. “Then I started to put more attention to him, the other students started to fail… at the end, he didn’t want to be in the dojo with me, so—he changed dojos.”

Daniel nodded, lips made into a white line on his face.

It must be hard, he supposed. For what he was learning, Johnny’s relationship with his son was too complicated, just healing now after so many years. It would take time, but if his friend was patient, then—it was only a matter of time.

“It’s fine, though.” Johnny added. “That was two years ago, they tolerate each other much better now. I think they even like each other.” He blinked, still not looking at Daniel. “Maybe one day they’ll be friends.”

“Maybe.” Daniel kissed his shoulder, making Johnny look back. “Give them time.”

“Yeah…” He leaned down, kissing Daniel’s forehead. He smiled with closed eyes. “What about your kids?”

“Well, my son hates me.” He tried to joke, but it came out as somber as Johnny talked about the past with his son. Johnny’s shoulders tensed. “I mean—he’s just a kid, you know? We have nothing in common… he loves videogames and stuff like that, I’m… more of a sports kind of person.”

“Yeah.”

“And then with the divorce, he was very young. He saw it as an attack to his mother—she isn’t to blame at all, we just… didn’t handle it well with him, I guess.” He sighed. “We never handle anything well with that kid.”

“Why?”

Daniel looked at him. Why did he feel like he could tell this man anything?

He wondered if Amanda had told this to her financé, or if she kept it a secret like Daniel often found himself doing.

“He wasn’t planned.” He answered, Johnny frowned. “And I wasn’t… prepared for it like I was with Sam. It changed our plans… She’s six years older than him and they had a hard time when he was ten and she was a younger teen…” Daniel bit his bottom lip. “Me not finding a way to communicate with Anthony didn’t help. The divorce made it so much worse...”

He swallowed, feeling the children shaped hole in his heart ever so present as he continued to speak.

“And I’m not saying, like—I don’t love him or anything, because no. I do, I do. He was the most wanted baby once we learned he was coming, no matter how many things we had to change last minute—it’s just—“

“I understand.” Johnny said.

He took his hand away from Daniel’s, passing his arm over his shoulders, pulling him closer to his body. Daniel sighed in relief, leaning his head on Johnny’s shoulder.

“So that’s Anthony.” Johnny said “What about Sam?”

Daniel smiled. It felt… well, it was just something to hear Johnny use his children’s names as if he already knew them. He felt it as Johnny felt it before, he understood it now.

“She did karate when she was younger.” Daniel said. “I still can do most things, I’m just slower, have to be very careful with my legs—”

“Of course.”

“So I taught her, and she loved it…” He sighed. “Until she didn’t.”

“Shit.”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah. Shit.”

“Well,” Johnny said. “Maybe your grandchildren will be into it.”

“Sure, I’ll teach them at ninety something. Why not?”

Johnny laughed loudly, the deep of his voice echoing in Daniel’s room, making him wish he could stay. 

But the rain may pass, it may be clear by the time they wake up again.

He couldn’t keep him for himself even if he wanted to.

“John.” He called, Johnny looked down, wonder in his eyes.

Daniel put a hand on his face, caressing his cheek as he made his lips into a spout, making the other man smile before kissing him in a sweet peck. Then another, and another, until they were kissing, long and loud.

They continued to make out for what felt like hours, forgetting about the rest of the world, even their shared past. They were new men, discovering the blessing of touch and company, tasting and savoring for the first time.

If it rained more, he couldn’t tell. If it stopped, it didn't matter.

Daniel pulled Johnny with him into the bed, pushing him to lay down on his back as he mounted him, kissing him hungry and desperate to see what else they could find, what else there was for him to take and treasure.

The light of his nightstand lamp went on, becoming weaker by the second.

Both looked at it at the same time, Daniel bit his lip as he looked back at Johnny.

“It’s back.” Johnny said.

“I think we are losing power again, actually…”

“Looks like it.” Johnny murmured, then looked at him with a shitty smirk. “Convenient to our mood, uh?”

Daniel shook his head. “The dirty thoughts always come first, isn’t it?”

The man shrugged, looking way too smug as he put both hands behind his head, biceps showing to Daniel’s hungry eyes. His stomach tensed—this man was hot. Daniel wanted him so much in so many ways—

He chewed on the inside of his bottom lip, looking at Johnny in the eyes.

“So…” Daniel murmured, gathering all his will power to speak up his mind. “That you said before, about—about five—”

“Five orgasms and then another one?” He arched an eyebrow. “What about it, Daniel?”

“Dick.” Daniel attacked, pretty much sitting on Johnny’s crotch.

But the man was smiling, enjoying his attitude and his shyness, and the sight of him on top as he tried to be as confident as he presented himself all the time.

Maybe he could just—

Okay.

Daniel put both hands on his shoulders, Johnny’s hands immediately moved to hold him by the hips. He licked his lips, eyes on Johnny’s face as he started to move his hips in slow circles, his ass against Johnny’s growing erection.

He saw the moment Johnny swallowed and understood what was happening. Daniel smiled at the sight, encouraged to keep going as Johnny’s mouth opened slightly, clearly enjoying the friction on his cock.

“You know what I mean?” 

Johnny blinked a couple of times. “Which way?”

Goddammit this man. Both were good options, both sounded like something he would like to do—but right now, Daniel was actually sure of what he wanted.

He did the second he saw Johnny’s naked body the day before.

Daniel kept moving his hips as he leaned down, letting Johnny kiss him. He felt a hand moving towards his ass, squeezing his left cheek, making him move faster. As the speed incremented, so did the pleasure of each touch, and soon enough, he was moaning against Johnny’s mouth.

The sounds Johnny made kept him going. Each a song to his ears, a twinge of pleasure going all over his body.

He was panting and sweating, rock hard and probably wetting his boxers with precome, when he finally felt confident enough to speak.

“I want—”

“Mmm, yeah? What do you want?”

“Fuck me—”

Daniel opened his eyes slowly, purposely keeping the rhythm going to make his point clear. He grinded his ass on Johnny’s erection, the heaviness and taste of him still very present in his tongue.

He wanted that inside him.

Johnny squeezed his hips with both hands, making him stop. Daniel panted, looking down at him in almost panic. Had he done something wrong? Did Johnny didn’t want him after all?

“Don’t make that face, Bambi.” He said, getting his hands under Daniel’s shirt. “Go clean up.” He started, slowly sitting with him straddling his hips. “Then, take off your clothes and get in the bed.”

He blinked a couple of times, slowly nodding as he got off Johnny. He could feel his eyes as Daniel walked towards the bathroom, unsure of exactly what it all meant—and then, he smiled.

The man stood right away after Daniel entered the bathroom, not looking at him as he walked around the bed, taking off his shirt. He closed the door and got to work.

He did his best to be quick and effective. It had been a while since he had someone inside him, but—God, he just wanted this. He had wanted it since he saw that man, actually. Seeing him naked had just further affirmed his decision.

Taking his towell, Daniel dried off the wandering water out his legs and ass, clearing his throat as he took his boxers again and put them on. 

Daniel opened the door, watching as Johnny entered the room with his cellphone and something else in his hands. 

He had the battle of lube and condoms when he turned after leaving his phone on the nightstand—had he left it downstairs charging?— and Daniel swallowed, giddiness invading his body as he quickly took off his shirt and socks, getting into bed as told.

“Take off your clothes includes your undies.” Johnny said, looking at him with a smile.

He only nodded, getting rid of his boxers immediately. He sat there, waiting for Johnny’s next move. Or command.

“Good. Now lay on your stomach.”

“I—” Daniel tried to talk. 

He wanted to see Johnny’s face, he wanted—

“It’s okay, we’ll get there.”

Daniel blinked a couple of times more, not so sure why he trusted this man so much but he turned as told, laying on his stomach, hissing as the sheets touched his erection and the pressure of his weight trapped it against the mattress.

He felt the bed sink as Johnny got in, still on his underwear as he got on top of Daniel.

Johnny kissed his neck from behind, slowly descending on his shoulders and shoulder blades, licking and biting, giving special treatment to where his tattoo was, before making a path of kisses down the rest of his back.

He couldn’t help but sigh in content as the man kissed his asscheeks, opening him with both hands—then stopping.

Daniel opened his eyes, almost scared to look back and see what was happening.

He stayed in silence, feeling Johnny’s eyes on him, on his entrance and then—

“Oh!” Daniel gasped, looking back. “Johnny!”

“Shhhh,” Johnny smiled at him, “relax. Enjoy it.”

All he could do was nod, toe fingers moving in nervousness as Johnny sinked on his entrance again and licked him with the flat of his tongue again.

This time, Daniel’s eyes closed and he grabbed at the bedsheets hard. 

“Up.” Johnny said, pulling his hips up with his hands. Daniel obeyed and lifted his ass in the air, feeling even more exposed and more eager to find out what Johnny had planned. “You have such a great ass, it’s the first thing I liked when I saw you.”

Daniel chuckled, cheeks feeling hot. He shook his head as he felt encouraged to show off, moving until he was sure Johnny had better access to his entrance, a better view of him.

The man kissed his left cheek sweetly, then went back to taste him, this time circling his rim.

As his eyes closed, Daniel moaned softly.

He tried to picture them here in the semi-dark, doing each other on an island just for the two of them. He smiled as he felt the tip of Johnny’s tongue entering him, slowly easing its way inside him until Johnny was sucking and licking at him.

Daniel moaned louder than before, faster too as he felt the pleasure of having Johnny eating him out like this—and he wasn’t sure how long it took, but he started to move his hips in rhythm of Johnny fucking him with his tongue as he stroked Daniel firmly with a hand.

If they continued like this, he was going to come easily before he could have him inside.

“Johnny—“ He tried, interrupting himself with a whimper. “Johnny, I want—I want to come with—” But the man kept going, licking at him with eagerness, with an hunger Daniel had never felt anyone have for him. “Stop—”

That did the trick. 

Johnny left his body almost as if burned, putting a hand on his shoulder to turn Daniel around. But he just turned half his body, blinking his doe eyes at him.

“I’m sorry, It’s just—”

“Are you okay?” He asked, worried and it just—Daniel  _ loved _ that. He loved every second of this. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “Nothing, I just…” His face felt hot, but Daniel cleared his throat and tried again. “I want to come with you inside me.”

Daniel could swear he saw Johnny’s cock twitch in his boxers.

He swallowed, watching as the man smiled at him and nodded, kissing his hip once before moving away once more. But this time, he simply uncapped the bottle of lube, pouring a good amount in his fingers.

“You will, baby.” He promised, warming the lube in his fingers. “It’s gonna be so good—“

Daniel nodded, wanting.

He felt the wet of Johnny’s finger against his rim, slowly easing in until all of it was inside him. 

He was still lose from the night before, it wouldn’t take long to have him ready for Johnny. Still, he enjoyed it. Daniel enjoyed the way Johnny’s finger felt wider than his, how he hooked it inside him, fucking him a couple of times before adding a second.

“Fucking glorious…” Johnny murmured, sounding spellbound by what he was doing, how Daniel was taking his two fingers. “You’re so warm, baby. You’ll feel amazing around me.”

He nodded again, whimpering when Johnny scissored his fingers in him, adding a third as he felt Daniel was opening just nicely. His work for the night before still paying good.

“Are you gonna swallow my cock in that greedy hole of yours like you do my fingers?”

God, yes. Daniel moaned, clenching his ass as his cock twitched.

“Shit—” Johnny groaned.

He heard him take himself out his underwear, he heard him stroke himself in rhythm with his fingers fucking into Daniel. So he clenched again, this time trying his best to follow the rhythm, too.

“Fuck—” Johnny moaned. “Oh, you’re hungry.”

Daniel only nodded. “Please…”

“Yeah, I got you, baby—” He chuckled then immediately moaned. “Just let me…” 

Johnny’s fingers left him. Daniel lowered his hips and looked back, watching as Johnny slicked himself with a generous amount of lube, stroking his dick a couple of times before squeezing the base.

He crawled towards Daniel, putting a hand on his hips as he positioned himself in his entrance. Daniel swallowed, looking back to stop him because—

“Johnny, I want to see you.” He said, Johnny smiled and stopped moving.

“Trust me on this, would you?” The man asked, his smile too pretty to ignore. Daniel blinked. “You’ll see.”

“Okay…” He murmure at the end, heart hammering in his chest.

Johnny nodded, moving his hand to pull his left cheek aside to get a better view of Daniel’s hole, guiding his dick in slowly after he heard him put on a condom.

The tip broke in, the wide of his head making Daniel’s mouth open as goosebumps filled his body. Johnny went in inch by inch, groaning over Daniel until his pelvis was flush against Daniel’s ass and he stopped.

Daniel licked his lips, kept his eyes closed as he enjoyed the fullness.

It had been a while since he had someone in him, it felt—it felt better than he remembered, than his fingers or any toy he had ever taken. Johnny pulsed inside him, felt warmth and hard, widened his insides in such a perfect way, it was as if they were made to fit together.

The man moaned, bottoming out just as slow, then slamming back in faster than Daniel imagined he would so soon. He gasped in pleasure, wishing the man would just fuck him like that, like an animal until they were coming and made a mess of themselves.

But Johnny stayed in him again, a hand caressing Daniel’s sides before both of his hands were on his waist, pulling up. Daniel obeyed, lifting his ass again until he heard Johnny laugh.

“No, not like that.” Johnny murmured. “Up, sweetheart.” He said, a hand on Daniel’s chest. “On your knees.”

He did as told, blinking as he was held with his back against Johnny’s chest. 

Lips were on his neck immediately. Johnny moved his hips in slow circles, gently adjusting himself inside Daniel until a little bit more of his cock entered him, making Daniel moan and smile.

Johnny kept kissing up his neck and jaw, taking his lips in a wet kiss that left him breathless and then, he was moving. He wrapped an arm around Daniel’s waist and passed the other over his chest, and started to slowly thrust into him.

“Fuck—” Daniel moaned. “Oh, fuck—”

“You feel so good…” Johnny murmured in his ear. “So tight and hot.”

“John…” He looked at his side, finding Johnny’s eyes looking into his. “You feel good, too.”

“Yeah?” He thrusted in, hard. “You like that…?”

Daniel nodded, putting a hand over Johnny’s on his waist, the other behind him until it landed on Johnny’s back. The man will have his fingers marked there by the end of this, but for the way he groaned against his neck, Daniel suspected he was fine by it.

Soon, his hips were snapping into him with impetu, making Daniel moan as if his life depended on it. And maybe in a way it did—if he didn’t have this tonight, if Johnny left and Daniel couldn't have him like this—

“Fuck!” He moaned.

Johnny laughed behind him, having found his prostate and agling himself better to keep touching it with every thrust. 

His hand went down, caressing Johnny’s side until he grabbed a hold of his ass, squeezing it every time the man went faster, touched him there, made him see stars behind closed eyes.

Daniel moved his hand to Johnny's hair, fisting it hard and pulling him down to kiss him.

They kissed lazily as Johnny fucked into him with deep thrusts, the hand on his waist suddenly moving to his belly, caressing there before moving down and down, until he held Daniel’s dick, masturbating him with expertise, making Daniel move in rhythm with—everything.

“Clench.”

“What…?” Daniel murmured with half open eyes.

“Clench your pretty ass, baby.” 

Daniel blinked a couple of times before doing as told, feeling Johnny’s cock in him clearly—the man pistoned into him harder even if slower as Daniel kept clenching, trying to keep him inside forever just to feel this full and complete for the rest of his life.

The man seemed to agree as his thrusts became shorter and heavier, faster too, still hitting the right spot from time to time, and each making Daniel lose himself a little bit better, a little bit stronger, until he was just in this moment, enjoying this man and the way he was fixated on pleasing Daniel.

Soon, Johnny stilled inside him, panting heavily as he held his hips with both hands. 

Daniel looked back, the man had leaned his forehead on his shoulder blades, trying to calm down. He peppered his skin with kisses, slowly going out of him.

“On your back.” He murmured, sitting on his calves as Daniel turned.

He caught Johnny’s blue eyes as he got into position, smiling at him when he noticed the man was looking at him as if he was everything good in the world—as if they had been together for a very long time, and he loved him.

It was strange. 

Strange and welcomed, just as his weight was once the man was on top of him, making himself comfortable between his legs until he was fully inside Daniel and both were moaning again.

Daniel held him close with his legs around his waist, digging his heels into his ass with his arms around his neck. Johnny leaned down, kissing him while leaning his hand on the wall to start fucking into him fast and as deep as he could manage.

The bed moved with them.

They had knocked out Daniel’s pillow at some point, the comforter and the sheets too.

But Johnny snapped his hips just so and it had Daniel screaming in pleasure, begging for more as he felt his cock in and out, hard and hot, heavy and wide, long enough to have him salivating since he first laid eyes on him.

Daniel arched his back, moving his hips with Johnny’s, the momentum building and building as the man kept fucking into him strong and deep.

They kissed, panted against each other, sucked marks on the other, and moaned together.

“Touch yourself.” Johnny ordered, looking at Daniel’s cock, the way it was leaking precome and  _ jumping  _ with each of his thrusts. “I wanna see you, Daniel. Touch yourself.”

Daniel swallowed, taking his dick in one hand and starting to pump at it.

He moaned loudly, closing his eyes as his ass clenched around Johnny, the pressure in his belly growing with each difficult thrust, each caress of his own hand, Johnny’s loud moans and groans, his eyes on Daniel as it was all happening.

Daniel let out a gasp that sounded more like a moan, cock twitching in his hand and then he was arching his lower back, coming with long shots of come painting his fingers, their bellies and chests.

For a moment he heard nothing, saw nothing as pleasure overtook every sense of his, filling him with electric waves that touched every inch of him, curling his toe fingers, arching his back, clenching his ass.

It all became perfect when he felt Johnny still in him, his cock twitching inside Daniel’s ass as he came, the warmth of his seed making Daniel moan and feel… so full…

“Shit—” Johnny murmured, cock twitching in Daniel’s ass still. “Fuck, baby, what you do to me…”

Daniel smiled, opening his eyes to find Johnny still with his closed, his mouth open as pleasure reflected all over his handsome features.

He bit his bottom lip, hoping they still had time for another round after a few hours of sleep.

He wanted more and more of this. All the time, everywhere, in any form.

He wanted Johnny with him forever.

The man gasped for air, chest going up and down as he slowly let his weight crush Daniel against the mattress, and it felt fantastic to have him spent against his body.

Daniel took a deep breath, in and out, in and out, and smiled, hugging Johnny with both arms and legs, kissing the top of his head in gratitude over and over.

They stayed like that, getting their breathing back to normal and their voices back, for long minutes.

Slowly, Johnny rolled off Daniel and into the bed.

Their separation left goosebumps as it was cold and they were sweaty, spent for the night but Daniel was absolutely  _ happy  _ and full.

“That was…” Daniel started, smiling at the ceiling. “John, that was amazing.”

“You  _ are  _ amazing.” The man answered. “What an ass you have, Jesus.”

Daniel laughed, throwing a lazy slap to Johnny’s shoulder. The man laughed, too as he took off the condom and stood to throw it into the garbage bin of the bathroom. 

He looked back at him, watching as Johnny stood naked in his bathroom, wetting a small towel he used to clean his belly and chest. He cleaned it again, looking at himself in the mirror before walking back into the room.

Johnny lay on the bed, close to Daniel, kissing his cheek and then his lips before passing the wet towel on his abdomen and chest. 

He sighed, smiling up at Johnny as he left the towel in the night stand and lay at his side again.

“I’ve never gotten so many compliments for my ass from the same person before.”

“I’d write poems of your ass if I could.”

Daniel kept laughing, shaking his head as Johnny passed an arm over his waist. He kissed his lips, caressing Daniel’s back as he pulled him closer against his body until they were making out lazily in each other’s arms.

He could dream of this, Daniel realized as he kissed Johnny and felt lethargy slow his mind and body. He could dream of them and sleep well without any thought of somber days filled with cold and darkness.

He could dream of the cea and the sun, sweet Summers and powerful storms that, for the first time, didn’t destroy but brought him calmness.

He could dream like this: full, satisfied.

Happy.

* * *

“Dad?”

Robby was calling him.

He was a toddler again, with his big shining green eyes, signaling with a finger at the lighthouse on the island near the beach.

Johnny could see him clearly, his sandy brunette hair moving with the wind, his happy smile and loud laugh as his son had been the happiest little kid before he and Shannon ruined him.

“Dad!”

The boy called, voice like velvet, happy as ever.

“Dad?” And he was close, closer than Johnny was seeing him on that beach. “Dad!”

This was not a dream—

“Johnny.” Daniel called him, Johnny frowned and turned to see him but nothing was there, only the world shaking as the man kept calling him. “Johnny, wake up!”

The world kept shaking, and shaking, and he was suddenly falling, sounds of ‘dad’ and ‘Johnny’ keeping him conscious, desperate to wake up, to—

“John!”

His eyes opened wide, sitting on the bed immediately as he looked around, trying to hear better and understand what was happening. Had he been dreaming of his son’s voice? It didn’t sound like his toddler voice, it sounded—

“Dad?”

Right here.

“Shit.” Johnny crawled on the bed towards the tall window, looking out as Daniel cleared his throat behind him.

Johnny turned to see him

“I think your son is here.”

He blinked a couple of times, eyes trailing down Daniel’s covered body. He had put on a robe, his cheeks were red, his hair a mess. Johnny blinked again, this time Daniel bit his bottom lip.

“Johnny?”

“I—” He looked back at the window, seeing three people walking to the back of the lighthouse.

It was Robby, walking hand in hand with Moon, Mr. de Sol behind them as they talked. Robby stopped, looking up as Johnny finally noticed it wasn’t raining anymore—the sun was up, the sky was an intense blue once more.

They had overslept. He had overstayed.

“Dad! The boy called again.

Johnny swallowed, not really thinking as he got the window open in spite of Daniel’s protests.

“No! Johnny!” Daniel tried. “Come on, at least dress—you know what? Whatever.”

“Shh, Bambi, it’s okay.” Johnny assured him, Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. “Robby!”

The boy looked up, the worrisome expression in his eyes dissipating as he smiled up at him with both hands made into firsts over his waist.

“Are you just waking up?”

He cleared his throat, laughing at the fake indignation. 

“Good morning to you, too!”

“It’s past twelve, dad.” Robby answered, blocking the sun with a hand over his forehead. “Where’s the keeper?”

Johnny looked at the man, but this was gone. 

Blinking, he turned back to Robby and his improvised search party.

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen him.” He lied. “Go back to the front of the house, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Take a shower first!” Robby said. “I can see from miles you slept  _ well _ .”

He would laugh if he wasn’t feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed with the reminder that his boy was becoming a man, he understood this—he saw it too. Johnny hid all that with a smirk and a joke, clearing his throat as he looked back to the room once Robby and the others had started to walk back to the front.

Daniel entered the room in that moment, a worrisome expression making a deep frown on his face.

“Hey,” Johnny called, getting out the bed to see him.

Daniel gave him a pointed look and Johnny swallowed, unable to understand what was happening now. 

“Wait, what did I do?”

“Oh, not much.” Daniel threw on his face some folded clothes. “Just came out the window half naked, letting everyone know you got lucky last night.”

Johnny moved his head to one side, biting his bottom lip.

“I  _ got  _ lucky last night.” He admitted, making Daniel look at him right away. “Come on.”

He cradled the man’s face with both hands, softly caressing his cheeks before leaning forward and kissing his forehead.

“It’s alright, let’s take a quick shower or else—”

“You are taking a shower, I’m going to the lighthouse and hope the earth swallows me.”

Johnny chuckled, shaking his head as they heard the front door open and voices coming in. He pushed Daniel towards the bathroom.

“No, you’re meeting my son and we smell of sex.” 

“We just got at it for one day and you’re already making me sweat with meeting your child?”

He laughed at the sight of Daniel sweating about it. He nodded, getting past him into the bathroom. The man sighed, closing the door and passing him into the shower, getting the hot water on.

“You are a bad influence.” Daniel said, Johnny smiled as the man touched the water. “Before you came here, I woke up early and did my job without problem.”

“And I bet you had to put your hand on ice a few times a month a lot, so…”

Daniel threw water at his face, making Johnny laugh as his face became all shades of red. 

The man got into the shower, Johnny followed him, trailing down his body as he stood under the water, following a drop in particular that went down his neck to his chest. Slowly, it went down and became another one, going down and down until it was lost in his belly button.

He swallowed, putting both his hands on Daniel’s waist.

“Don’t even think about it.” Daniel warned. “Your son is downstairs.”

“I know.” Johnny murmured, voice alien even to himself. Daniel opened his eyes and looked at his face. “I just like touching you.”

Something on that face changed and Johnny didn’t really like it.

He swallowed as Daniel put his hands in the small of his back, pulling him into the water’s spray. Johnny took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the water wash under him as he hoped whatever mistake he just made wouldn’t come back to bite his ass.

“Johnny,”

With his luck, though, it obviously was.

“Hey, Johnny.”

“Mmm.” He turned around, not wanting to see Daniel.

His shampoo smelled funny. Like—flowers and stuff, it also said something about preventing hair loss, oily hair and even dandruff, a wonder. Johnny had wanted to give him shit for having such a girly shampoo but then he had used it, and damn—it really was a wonder.

Daniel kissed the middle of his back, making Johnny jump a little as he turned his face to look at him.

“What are you gonna tell Robby?”

“Uhm.” He turned again, pouring shampoo in his hand. Johnny turned to Daniel and showed him the soap. “Turn around.” The man hesitated, but did as told. “I don’t know—not much. I don’t think he’s gonna ask anyway, so you got nothing to worry about.”

He distributed the shampoo in his hands, putting them on Daniel’s hair as he slowly massaged his scalp. The man shivered, making Johnny smile as he thought of his answer.

“Remember what I told you? Our relationship it’s weird… we sometimes talk like father and son, sometimes like friends. We tease each other. It’s complicated.” He sighed. “He’ll ask only if he thinks I’ll give him a real answer.”

“And what would the real answer be?”

Johnny blinked a couple of times, trying hard to understand exactly what Daniel wanted him to say or do. He wished the man would be more direct and stop dancing around it, just tell him.

He cleared his throat, making sure all his head was covered in shampoo.

“You know I’m gonna ask you out when you get back from your birthday parties.” Johnny reminded him, he noticed Daniel tense in front of him. 

He didn’t want that?

“Obviously, it’s up to you to say yes or no.” He cleared. The man was still tense. “Anyway, you meeting my son doesn’t have to mean anything.”

Daniel turned again when Johnny got his hands off him, the man looked at him with curious eyes, as if wanting to find something on his face. He sighed, nodding as he gave a step backwards, back into the shower.

He swallowed, taking more shampoo for himself as Daniel washed away the soap. They stayed in silence as they cleaned up, taking turns to stand under the water, helping the other with their backs but keeping their hands mostly for themselves.

This was not how he saw this happening.

As they dried and dressed, Johnny thought over and over all he said this morning, all he did.

Maybe he shouldn’t have opened the window, maybe it was overstepping on Daniel’s privacy, exposing too much what they’d done the night before. He did know Mr. de Sol, the man knew him since he was a child—maybe he shouldn’t have done that.

Then meeting Robby. His son. 

Daniel was a guy he was actually looking forward to seeing again. He wanted to have something with him, maybe a relationship that would actually last for once, something meaningful.

Him meeting his son would eventually happen, but maybe it felt like pressure to have it be now. But what was he supposed to do? Say goodbye, grab his shit and go without another word? Wouldn’t it be odd if Daniel didn’t show his face at least once?

Johnny swallowed, looking at himself in the mirror once he was dressed.

This time, the shirt Daniel gave him squeezed his biceps in a ridiculous way. It made him look bigger than he actually was, the thing too short and at least one size smaller. His chest looked huge, Johnny looked like one of those gyms douchebags he was sure any of his kids from the beginners class could take down.

He was wearing his jeans again, and decided to throw in his flannel, maybe that way it wouldn’t be too visible that this wasn’t his and look less like a gym jerk.

Moon’s laugh downstairs brought him back to reality.

He looked at the door and then at Daniel, standing at the other side of the room.

If he was gonna do something about this tension between them, it was now or never.

“Hey.” Johnny said, walking towards him. He put both hands around his biceps. “Look, these are weird circumstances. I know meeting my kid right now after we just slept together sounds crazy, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing.” He frowned. “You really don’t have to overthink it, it’s not… it doesn’t mean anything.”

Daniel’s face became sadder, his frown deeper. Johnny felt his stomach tense.

“Well, that’s the problem for me.” He said in a murmur. “I want it to mean something, I—I was hoping, with all the history we already have, maybe we were going to keep seeing each other? And—I guess we’re too old for long distance relationships or something, but I thought maybe we could figure something out.”

“I was going to as—”

“I know, and I’m gonna say yes.” Daniel said, blinking so fast, it made Johnny dizzy. “But what does it mean? Do you wanna hang out when you’re here, or can I go where you live when I’m not here? Are we—are we gonna be like friends with benefits, or… partners?”

Well. He didn’t see that coming. Maybe they were more on the same page than he realized.

Johnny nodded like an idiot.

“Yeah, okay.”

Daniel frowned. “What does that mean?” His frown became deeper, Johnny chuckled at the sight and it didn’t sit well with the man who pushed him away. “That’s not an answer!”

“It is, it is!” Johnny held him stronger. “It means that—that I want to be with you. It’s that what you want? You want to be with me, too?”

The man blinked a couple of times, nodding.

“Come on, say it.” Johnny swallowed. “If we’re gonna be those weird dudes that get together after one night, you’ll have to be right there with me, buddy.”

Daniel chuckled, finally. He nodded again, this time putting his hands on Johnny’s face.

“I want to be with you.” He murmured.

Johnny swallowed. “Okay, good.” He let out a shaky breath, shaking his head. “And what the hell was that about being too old?”

“I mean, it’s just—”

He blinked, thinking about it. They lived miles away from each other—even when Daniel was out the Lighthouse. Boston, New Jersey. California. 

But they were kids when they first saw each other. The memory of the other had followed them for their entire lives, marked them well enough they were a positive thought of this place, that beach, those years.

Every little detail that joined them, every stumble and fall that brought them here—

They couldn’t ignore it.

“We’ll figure something out.”

Daniel nodded, smiling at him. Johnny leaned down at the same time he leaned forward, capturing his lips in a sweet kiss that couldn’t last as much as he wanted. 

They smiled at each other again, finally ready to get down and be part of the real world.

* * *

Johnny went down first.

He heard him say hi, the two teens asking if he was okay, how he had been during his stay in the lighthouse, where he was.

Mr. de Sol was asking about him as Daniel went down the stairs, clearing his throat as he stepped into the dining area where everyone was reunited, thank God. 

They had forgotten to put the fireplace area together again after last night. One look to that place, and anyone could figure out exactly what had happened.

“Dan, hi!” Mr. de Sol greeted him with a hand out, the other going to his shoulder. “I’ve been telling these kids since yesterday, their father and father-in-law was in good hands.”

Daniel smiled, looking at the two teens who were directing curious looks at him. 

The girl smiled widely, looking back at the boy who didn’t take away his green eyes from him, and Daniel swallowed. He walked in, offering his hand to the boy first.

“Hi.” He said.

“Pup, this is LaRusso.” His father said, the boy looked up at him for a second, then back at Daniel. “Daniel LaRusso.”

He finally took his hand.

“This is my son, Robby.” Johnny said, Daniel smiled at the boy who smiled politely at him, still measuring him. “And that is Moon, his girlfriend.”

“Hi! Nice to meet you, Mr. LaRusso!” The girl said enthusiastically, shaking Daniel’s hand with a big smile. “I love your lighthouse!”

Daniel looked at Johnny for a moment, smiling when he saw the spark in his eyes. He cleared his throat and looked at the girl again.

“Why, thank you!” Daniel answered. “It’s a community effort, though. Me and my fellow keepers try to take care of it as much as the town supports us.”

“That Lighthouse it’s part of us all.” Mr. de Sol intervened, kind and gentle as always. “It’ll stand there even when we are gone. It’ll be passed onto our kids and their kids, hopefully will survive another hundred years.”

The girl smiled like a child, excited to hear all about it. She kept asking him things, saying she would love to see the tower as Johnny went back to pick up his bag and the rest of his things.

After a few seconds, Daniel went into the kitchen to make coffee and tea for everyone.

He heard them all talk in the living room after he had run to put everything on its place, someone walking in the hallway and picking up the bucket there. Daniel looked back, watching Johnny walking into the kitchen to then come out the house from the back door.

“What are you doing?” Daniel asked.

“Taking this shit out.” He said, throwing the water into the grass outside. “It was full.”

“Ugh.” Daniel shook his head. “I will have to call land for that one.”

“Yeah…” He sighed, stepping inside the house again. “Or, you can wait for me to get the right tools and I’ll take care of it next weekend.”

Daniel laughed, shaking his head and going back to look at the coffee.

Johnny walked by, slapping his ass as he passed him.

“Hey!” Daniel looked at him, cheeks burning.

“Nicest ass I’ve ever had.” Johnny winked at him.

He shook his head, hoping no one had heard that.

Daniel bit his bottom lip, trying not to overthink everything that had happened in these past three days, just this morning. 

He was a grown ass adult. Why was he acting like a young boy who believes in destiny and the fairy tale that long distance relationships can survive? He shook his head again.

With a frown and a cold heart, he poured coffee for him and Johnny, tea for everyone else. He went out to give them all their mugs, then came back for his and sat down on the same couch Johnny was sitting, trying his best not to be too close nor too far away to make it suspicious.

But his son was looking at him all the time.

Every second Daniel spoke, Robby was looking. When he talked to Johnny, to de Sol, to everyone, Robby had his eyes on him and a neutral expression that told him nothing.

But it was as if he could see through them, see what they’ve done, what they were hiding from him and the rest of the world for a while. 

Did he disapprove? Did he think he was not good enough for his dad?

Johnny was afraid his son hated him, but just like this Daniel could see it clear—the kid didn’t hate his father, not at all. He was concerned about him, very aware of him and the things he did, protective.

So, like an idiot, he invited them for lunch.

“That would be splendid!” Moon said, clapping once, then looking at Johnny. “Mr. Lawrence, you think we have time?”

Johnny smiled at her, nodding. “Yeah, I think so.”

“I will have to go.” Mr. de Sol said, standing up. Daniel did the same to follow him to the door. “My wife is waiting for me and now that we’re sure everyone is alright, I can go in peace.”

Daniel smiled at him. “Alright then, I hope to see you soon.”

“Of course.” He said.

That was how he found himself walking the kids around, animatedly repeating everything he said to tourists like a robot, this time way too happy to talk about the story of this lonely lighthouse nobody but this town and its few tourists knew about.

Still, the couple listened to him. Made interesting questions, walked to the gallery and looked in wonder at the sea beyond them. They stood there, looking through the great window as Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, hoping the boy was satisfied with his behavior, his way of speaking and—

“He knows you’re faking it.” Johnny murmured at his side. “Relax, Bambi. He’ll like you.”

Daniel looked at him, he was sure his cheeks were red because he smiled right away, looking back at his son who was now taking pictures of his girlfriend in front of the view.

“His mother thinks they are moving too fast.” He said. Daniel looked back at them and blinked. “Next week, they’ll be dating for a year.”

“A year?” He sighed. “Man, my relationships at that age lasted months if I was lucky. A Summer most of the time.”

Johnny laughed. “My longest as a teen lasted two years.” He looked at him, Daniel looked back. “After reaching twenty, I was a mess for a while. Then five years with the same guy.”

“Really? None of my relationships but the one with my ex-fiancé and my ex-wife have lasted that long.”

“Yeah?”

He cleared his throat. “Three years with my ex-fiancé, twelve with my ex-wife.”

Johnny nodded. “I was ten years with his mother.” He signaled Robby, who was now posing while Moon took the photos. “Just us for two, eight while he was a kid. Fell into my worst habits little by little—”

“Yeah, but you aren’t them and are doing better, so.” 

The man smiled at him. “Thanks.” He murmured.

The couple got together again, this time taking selfies and laughing together. They were in their own world, not minding them at all. It occurred to him that he was nervous for nothing—his relationship with Johnny was their own, and whatever happened there, the boy would eventually find out and deal with it.

He was an adult, a little one, but an adult anyway. 

Robby had a job, an established relationship he kept as they wanted, could manage himself just fine. It was incredibly different from the kids he raised, his sometimes naive and spoiled babies, who may also protest at this when they found out, but—

Daniel really didn’t mind. He’d deal with them, as long as they understood he wanted this and if they would need to get over it and accept it.

“You do long relationships.” Daniel said. Johnny nodded at his side. “Good.” He said, looking at him.

The man smiled at Daniel before turning away to walk towards his son after the boy called him. He took Moon’s phone and took pictures of them together, making Daniel laugh as he noticed—he knew what he was doing. 

He had no idea what an Alexa was, had seen him struggle with his phone for two days, seemed to not know most newer movies and TV shows Daniel mentioned, and seemed allergic to new music—but he took pictures, he took good pictures with a phone he barely understood.

Daniel smiled at him again as he walked back, the kids following right behind.

He kept smiling at him while they sat in front of each other at the table to have lunch, the kids sitting in front of each other too. It was so surreal, Daniel having a meal with four people again, happy laughs and voices in his house.

“You’re from here, Mr. LaRusso?”

“Mm, not exactly.” Daniel answered Robby, “I moved here when I was a teen, though my family and I came once or twice when I was little. My dad used to work for Mr. de Sol.”

“He told us about it.” Moon said. “He said he has known you since you were a baby.”

“That is correct.” Daniel punctuated with a finger up. “After my dad passed away, he kept contact with my mother and was always checking on us. He offered my mom a job, so we moved.”

Robby nodded. “My dad used to come here as a kid.” He looked at his father. “Right?”

“Oh, yeah.” Johnny answered, then stuffed his mouth with spaghetti, making Daniel shake his head.

Why did he like this caveman?

“Maybe you crossed paths once!” Robby suggested, obviously trying to just make conversation and see how they would react.

Johnny stopped eating, looking at Daniel with the top of the noodles still out of his mouth. And for real—why was this man hot? He was a damn mess. Daniel smiled, wondering what would happen if they told them all about it.

“Okay, that’s weird…” Moon commented. “What is this vibe? Mr. Lawrence, what’s going on?”

The man finished eating, taking his time to swallow and clean his mouth. He cleared his throat and looked at the girl, then at his son, and finally at him.

“Nothing.” He assured them, but they were onto them already. “I mean—”

“You guys know each other?” She asked.

They looked at each other for two seconds, and somehow he knew—it was okay. They could share this. They didn’t have to keep secrets just to keep the other, they could brag about this—gift.

“Well.” Daniel sighed. “When I was seven, my family and I spent my dad’s last Summer in this town. He passed away the next year.” He said, Moon looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. “When I was here, my parents befriended a lady that had a son and we spent our Summer together playing as pirates, and astronauts, and explorers… things like that.”

Johnny leaned his back on the chair, smiling at him.

“I couldn’t really remember his name…” He looked away, still not having a clear voice saying the name. “But I always thought it was either Harry or Henry, so I went with—”

“Henry.” He, Johnny and Robby said at the same time.

Moon looked around, as if she was trying to catch up onto what was happening.

“But I could remember one thing in particular.” He sighed. “I love you to the Moon and to Saturn.”

The girl gasped, putting a hand over her mouth.

“I always remembered that, mostly because my dad played with us a lot.” Daniel looked at Johnny. “It was a memory that helped me through really hard stuff, so… It just stayed with me.” He shrugged. “Flashforward, forty years later, the storm brings this” he signaled at Johnny, who immediately started to laugh, “clueless sailor and he has the same story I’ve been carrying for the longest time—”

“Ooooh.” Moon smiled wide, Robby looked at his father with curiosity.

“And it turns out, his middle name’s Henry. He was here with his mother the same year I had that friend. And his mother used to tell him…”

“Love you to the Moon and to Saturn…” Robby finished for him, looking at his dad. “Wasn’t that grandma’s love?”

“It  _ is  _ grandma’s love.” Johnny answered, eyes on his son. “You know that’s sacred in this family.”

The boy seemed unsatisfied at first, like he had many questions he wanted answered right away. But at the end, he just smiled and nodded—going back to his food and to listen to whatever else Daniel was about to say.

Moon, on the other hand—she was fascinated. 

She looked like Daniel had just told her the secrets of the universe and she was just here for the ride, like watching a movie unfold in front of her. It was… sweet. It reminded him of Samantha.

“So you guys knew each other!” She said, looking between them with her hands put together like a prayer. “That’s so sweet! You found each other again after so many years!”

“Yeah.” Johnny sighed. “It’s alright, you know. About that… phrase, I guess.” He looked at Robby. “Your grandmother said it was because… love can’t be measured so it must be as big as going to the Moon, then going to Saturn from there. Obviously, you can measure that now, but back then… to a young single mother that never finished High School, the world seemed too big.”

Robby nodded, Daniel blinked a couple of times watching them interact.

Talking of his mother hurt Johnny. 

He could see he  _ wanted  _ to talk about her and keep her memory going, but at the same time the fact that she wasn’t around anymore was too much. And Daniel could get it, not even now he could completely accept the idea that Mr. Miyagi was no longer around, that he couldn’t just pick up the phone and talk to him.

Daniel smiled at him when the man looked, they kept each other’s stare for a few seconds and he wished he could take his hand. But just this, this was enough.

“It’s beautiful.” Moon said, sighing dreamily. “I love that phrase, Mr. Lawrence, I think it’s really sweet. And I love that it has a personal story attached to it.”

The man nodded. “Well, it’s kind of our thing in this weird family.”

“Yeah…” Robby murmured. “Grandma said it to dad, dad said it to mom, they said it to me, I said it to you…”

“Maybe one day we’ll tell our children, too.”

His cheeks went red, Daniel smiled as he saw them interact like this. The boy took his glass to his mouth, murmuring against it.

“Yeah, maybe.”

Johnny shook his head, smiling as his eyes found Daniel’s again.

He had said it to Daniel, Daniel had said it to his children.

Maybe they’ll tell their own grandchildren, too.

Perhaps one day, Johnny will say it again to him, and Daniel would say it to him.

“This is still such a great story, can you believe having this sweet memory of your childhood friend and one unsuspecting day you find each other again stranded on an island?” She insisted, Robby smiled again, looking at his dad.

“Well, you did say he was your first boyfriend. This is a love story.”

Daniel’s eyes opened wide, Johnny looked at his son with his mouth open.

“What?” He murmured.

Robby looked at him. “Oh, just…” He looked at his father, his face must have told him many things because he closed his mouth right away. “Nothing.”

“I was not—”

“I never said that!” Johnny cleared. “I just—I just said…” He took a deep breath, choppin on the poor spaghetti on his plate. “Doesn’t matter.”

“No, it totally matters. I wanna know about that!”

Moon laughed at Daniel’s left, Roby covered his face with both his hands as Johnny bit his bottom lip, eyes still on the food he was attacking. 

“Come on, I wanna know!”

Johnny looked up at him, his cheeks were pink and he just—he looked mortified. Daniel had to bit his tongue to stop himself from laughing or saying something stupid.

“I just…” He sighed. “When Robby was younger, he asked me about… liking guys. So I told him that I think I always liked guys.” He shrugged. “And I may have used that Summer as an early example or something.”

They stayed in silence. Moon had a hand on her mouth, obviously laughing against it but not in a mocking way. Just… sweet, excited. Robby looked at his dad, blinking his eyes innocently and Daniel swallowed at the sight, knowing something else was coming.

“You said that was the first boy you ever loved.”

Johnny let his hand fall into the table, the loud sound of it making the girl laugh and Robby smirk.

“You’re asking to be grounded, don’t you?”

“I’m eighteen. You can’t ground me anymore.” He reminded him, arching an eyebrow.

“The fuck I can’t? I will as long as you live under my roof.” Johnny said, making Robby laugh as he looked away. “You little shit…”

They kids kept laughing, leaving him and Johnny to just look at each other over the table and it felt—he sighed, feeling his heart big and warm. Daniel smiled at him and simply accepted it because—because—

Johnny was right.

The man smiled back at him, the night before between them, that week so many years ago building them into the men they were. 

He smiled at him and he knew they’ll be alright.

Daniel and the first boy he ever loved.

* * *

The kids were talking and walking alone on the shore.

Robby had Moon’s shoes and his in his hand, the other busy holding hers as they looked at the sea and joked around together. They were always like that, immersed in their own world no matter what.

And now that his son was sure he was alright and they were reunited again, it looked like they were on a Honeymoon after the best weekend of their lives.

Or maybe it was just how he felt, leaning on the wood dock, watching his son enjoy himself as Daniel stood at his side in comfortable silence. Maybe he just had the best weekend of his life, and Johnny could finally breathe.

“It’s so odd to see such a young couple being… like this.” Daniel commented, truly amazed by the fact. He looked at Johnny. “Not like it’s something bad or anything, but I guess I’m not used to it anymore.”

“Yeah.” Johnny answered. “Remember when we were in High School and there was always that one couple that went on forever, survived college and married?” He sighed. “The one from my group of friends are still together.” He looked at the man. “It’s been more than thirty years and they are just… married and happy.”

“Jesus.” Daniel laughed. “That actually sounds great.”

Johnny smiled. “Yeah. At the end of the day, I think I would’ve been okay with that, you know? Settle with someone that knows me.”

“That’s the actual dream.”

“Mhm.”

Daniel moved at his side, slightly leaning on him. Johnny looked back as the kids stopped walking to take pictures of each other again.

“Sooooooo...”

“Oh no.”

“First boy you ever loved, uh?”

Johnny shook his head, still in disbelief his son had said that out loud, in front of this man. He sighed, pushing him away with his hips.

“Shut up.”

The man laughed, following him as Johnny walked to the edge of the dock.

“I needed to tell something to the kid.” He excused even though Daniel already knew the truth. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would see you again anyway, so…”

He sat down on the edge, legs hanging over the water. Daniel sat down at his side in silence, looking at the ocean in silence. The sound of the water, the seagulls above them, this man’s breathing, it all made him feel at home.

“Would've said the same if I was in your place.” Daniel said, it sounded like a confession. Johnny felt something in the pit of his stomach, a pressure that was soon released. Things flying in his belly. “It didn’t go so bad, didn’t it?”

Johnny shook his head, Daniel let out a shaky breath.

“So…”

He turned to look at his lips, then up at the man’s doe eyes. Johnny blinked once before leaning into his face, kissing his lips softly.

Daniel hesitated at first, probably thinking of what would happen if Robby saw them, but responded at the end, opening his mouth and moving his head to one side, deepening the kiss as the day became orange and pink.

“I still owe you.” Johnny murmured against his lips, Daniel blushed right away. “I’m a man of my word.”

Daniel smiled at him, capturing his lips again.

They stayed like that for a long time, just kissing as the sun went down and his son walked around the island with his girlfriend, taking pictures and making memories of their own.

All this weekend had been surreal, felt like a fever dream he was afraid to wake up from. So Johnny held Daniel as much he could, kissing him and reminding him of all things he still wanted to do with him, how much he wanted to see him again.

The truth was, he didn’t want to let go.

He didn’t want to break the spell they had been in since they saw each other under the rain. An irrational part of him was afraid all would disappear once they touched land in town, but Daniel smiled at him and it suddenly occurred to him that time was different now.

Now, he could drive here. Fly if he wanted to. 

Johnny could call Daniel, even in video as Miguel had thought him before leaving for college.

Somehow, they had found each other again. The storm had brought them together—they could do this, no matter what.

They said goodbye on the dock. Daniel’s shoulders didn’t seem as heavy anymore, maybe without the comforter he felt safer now, and it made Johnny smile all the same as the man waved at them on the edge of his dock.

“Bye, Mr. LaRusso!” Moon said, waving back with a big smile.

He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on getting them safe back to town instead of how heavy his heart felt in spite of the rest of him feeling lighter than he had in years.

“You said he was a ghost.” Robby said at his side, sitting as Johnny looked at the controllers. “Looked pretty real to me.”

“You should’ve seen him the night we met.” 

“For the second time.” He intervened, Johnny looked at him for a few seconds. “That was weird, though.”

“Yeah…”

The boy moved his head to one side. “You’re okay with it, don’t you?”

Johnny sighed, hoping one day he could tell his son exactly why. This was only the beginning, though—one day at the time, there was plenty of it.

“I’m just glad that kid’s real.” Johnny answered. “It was always a good memory.”

His boy nodded, looking up when Moon came by and sat down at his side, talking of how fascinating the life of a lighthouse keeper must be.

Johnny gave one last look at the lighthouse, hoping its ghosts would let Daniel sleep until they met again.

* * *

In the first week after John, Daniel called Sam and Anthony.

“Are you okay?” His daughter asked after she told him about college and how she was missing home, her mother and brother, but at the same time was having a blast being by her own for the first time. “You sound different.”

He felt different.

There was no way he could explain it, really. But Daniel smiled at the phone and cleared his throat.

“I met a friend again.” He said, trying not to sound too eager to talk about it. “It was a little bit odd, but I’ve been talking to him lately and I don’t know…”

“You sound like it makes you happy.” She suggested, Daniel swallowed and wondered what her face must look like. “Uhm. What’s this friend’s name?”

“What do you actually want to know, young lady?”

Sam laughed against his ear and his heart hurt nicely. Daniel closed his eyes and enjoyed the sound as much he could, sighing deeply when she kept talking.

“Well, whatever it is, I’m glad you’re happy, daddy.” She said. Daniel’s eyes opened. “It’s just… sometimes I worry about you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re all alone in that Lighthouse!” Sam reminded him. “I worry something could happen to you, that a storm may be too harsh, or—I don’t know, dad. I just worry because you’re alone and I don’t like that.”

He blinked a couple of times, thinking of the leak in the hallway and the way Johnny had fixed most of his little corners he had left there to save dust and become a bigger problem. 

Daniel sighed, making a mental note to himself to call land for someone to fix that.

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” He assured her. “Remember that I used to say to you guys? Love you to the Moon and to Saturn?”

“Mhm.” She answered, Daniel could almost hear her frown as she asked. “What about that?”

“I never told you this…” He sighed. “But that little phrase was actually something a friend of mine told me when I was a child. Here in this town.” He started, after Sam didn’t say anything else, Daniel licked his lips and continued. “It was your grandfather’s last Summer, but we didn’t know. We had a blast. My friend used to say that because his mother told him that.”

“You have a tattoo of that! I thought maybe it was something Aunt Kumiko told you…”

“No,” Daniel laughed, suddenly nervous for what was to come. “It was—John. My friend. He said it to me and it always… you know, it stuck with me, reminded me of that last Summer.”

“Is he the friend you saw?”

Daniel nodded into the phone, swallowing before talking again. “Yeah, we just got back in contact.”

“How did you find him?” She sounded surprised. “Oh my god, dad. That’s amazing!”

“Yeah… it was actually a coincidence. None of us could remember the other’s name, he came to the Lighthouse during a storm.” Daniel sighed, once again in awe at the way things had turned out. “We spent a few days together, he saw my tattoo… we put two and two together.”

Samantha said nothing. 

The girl stood quiet on the phone for what felt like forever, making Daniel start to walk around his room on the island, nervous of what his daughter was thinking—of him and the whole situation. 

He hadn’t even mentioned he was now in some sort of evolving romantic relationship with the man.

What would she think?

Maybe this was always a bad idea, maybe—

“Daddy?” She said on the phone.

“Yes?”

“I got a friend, too.”

Daniel blinked a couple of times. “Really?”

“Mhm.” She sighed. “We’re taking a class together.” Sam explained. “He’s really nice and reminds me of you, actually.”

“Why’s that?”

Sam laughed again, that little giggle she always used when thinking of a boy she liked. This friend… Daniel’s heart started to beat. If she was telling him, it must be important.

“Starting with how much he worries I don’t wear a scarf for the seven AM classes…”

“You don’t wear—Sam, it’s cold in Illinois. We’ve talked about this, you have to be careful—”

But she was laughing. She was laughing loudly on the phone and Daniel had just proved her point. He took a deep breath and smiled, imagining her laying on her bed in her cow pajamas.

“He’s also obsessed with karate.”

Daniel shook his head. “Oh, I know the type.”

“Yeah?” He could hear her smile on the phone. “Love you, daddy.”

“So he doesn’t have a name?”

She probably shook her head before speaking again. “Not yet. If we become better friends, then we’ll get a name.”

“Alright.” He gave in. “You make the rules here.”

“That’s correct!” She said, then she sighed. “Daddy?”

“Mmm?”

“I’m glad you found your friend.”

He smiled.

Daniel kept smiling all the while to the end of their conversation, saying goodnight as he sighed. He quickly searched for his son’s number, hoping he was still awake and would like to talk to him.

It was harder with Anthony, it always had been.

The boy lived in his own word and it never collided with Daniel’s. Sometimes, it even felt like he did it on purpose. 

But he was just a child, he was still processing his own age and knowledge, Daniel’s part in his life. Daniel owed his kid his attention and care, his unconditional love.

The boy talked of school, answered questions about grades and what his friends were up to. In return, he asked about his grandmother and when he was seeing her again, Daniel promised to be in Boston as soon as his period in the island ended, and Anthony asked only to be brought a snow globe from the town.

“Why?” Daniel asked, curious for such a strange petition.

“Mom and I started a collection of snow globes.”

Daniel smiled, imagining it. “Yeah? Why so?”

“We were watching this youtuber that collects toys, and he was talking about why it’s good to have a collection of something. We just thought it was cool.”

He imagined Amanda’s living room filled with snow globes. Maybe her home office or even Anthony’s room. He wondered what was the reason behind such a decision, but decided to leave it like that since his son didn't seem too eager to explain.

So, he asked about something else.

“What are you playing now?”

The boy didn’t answer right away. He hesitated for long seconds, then gave in.

“It’s kind of an old game, but I’m playing Detroit: Become Human on the PlayStation 4.”

“Oh, I never heard of that before. What is it about?”

Robots and human rights, Daniel heard every detail of the plot and wondered if Amanda was aware their kid was playing something he was sure he may find out it’s for older people if he researched it after hanging the phone.

Still, he listened.

He listened as Johnny had suggested him to do. 

Daniel made a question here and there, walked around the room and then layed in bed when the conversation went on and on, his boy talking about his favorite character and why he was liking the game in general.

Tonight, he’ll probably dream of blue blood and androids named Markus and Connor, but at least Anthony said ‘I love you’ back when they said goodnight, and for that—he’ll listen to whatever complicated plot he could never picture himself following on a game.

He promised to call again and sighed when he left the phone on the bed, looking up at the ceiling as he heard the sounds of the sea outside his window.

The phone vibrated, the selfie Johnny had sent him days before appearing on his screen alongside his name. Daniel smiled, and took the call.

“Hey you.”

“Hi, Bambi.”

* * *

In the weeks that followed the Lighthouse, Johnny found himself unable to sleep unless he had talked to Daniel that day.

He found himself interested in his boring days sitting at the tower, making inventory and convincing the dude from land to come and fix the mess in his bathroom so the leak would stop in the hallway.

They called because Johnny didn’t like to text. He didn’t like the e-mails either or the chat boxes in the Facebook-dot-com or the instagram-dot-com. The video stuff was nice, but most of the nights he was just tired after a long day in class and listening to Daniel’s voice made it easier.

“I’m now invested in the story of how this robot, who I’m pretty sure is gay and into the detective, is discovering his humanity.” Daniel said about the game his son kept detailing him with every call they made. 

“If it gets made into a movie, then I’ll watch it.” Johnny said. “I don’t understand games now.”

“God, me neither. Remember when it was just… kick the pixel’s ass? I miss that.”

Johnny laughed, remembering himself beating every kid’s ass at the arcade. He had been so good, had an Atari at home and every kid wanted to go spend the afternoon at his place because of that.

It was ridiculous.

“Those were the days, man.” Johnny admitted. “But hey… this isn’t so bad.”

He could hear the man smiling on the other side of the line. “No, it really isn’t.”

Every night, they laid on their beds and talked on the phone. And every time, Johnny wished he could just leave town for a weekend and go crash that island again. Every night, Daniel told him to wait—soon they could see each other again.

But  _ soon  _ wasn’t coming fast enough.

Johnny watched as Robby and Moon sat in his living room with cokes and popcorn, the boy excited about showing her the second Terminator movie, calling it the best sequel ever made and holding himself to not give up the plot.

It made him smile as he sat on the table, just watching them be.

This was exactly what he wanted. 

He wanted his living room lit up with Moon and Robby watching movies, to sit here in the semi-dark with Daniel to then tell him about his boring day dealing with stupid teenagers he absolutely loved while they got ready for bed.

All he wanted was for the man to be close so Johnny could hold him again, so they could make out and laugh together again.

The more they talked, the more Johnny knew about him, he—he wanted that. He wanted him.

He looked at the kids in his living room, the way she looked at his son and how he looked at her when she wasn’t paying attention.

“Alright.” He murmured to himself, convinced.

* * *

“Mr. LaRusso!”

Daniel frowned, lifting his head from the inventory and looking in the direction of the gallery, trying to listen better.

“Mr. LaRusso, where are you?!”

He knew that voice.

Daniel stood from his chair, leaving his glasses over the inventory as he walked upstairs to the gallery, looking outside through the great window to see—Johnny’s boat, Moon and Robby walking to the house.

Johnny behind carrying a bag, looking up at the lighthouse.

His heart stopped, feeling his chest contract at the sight of the blonde man walking slowly towards the tower.

“Mr. LaRusso!” Moon insisted, but he couldn’t move.

He kept watching Johnny looking up—and he was a nice sight in his flannel hoodie and white t-shirt, wearing jeans even though it was not exactly the best to wear to a place like this.

Their eyes met and his heart started to beat fast again. Johnny smiled at him and Daniel practically ran downstairs without thinking it.

He had never walked the stairs so fast in his life.

By the time he made it to the door and opened, Johnny was already there with his hands inside the pockets of his open hoodie, smiling at him like a little shit while the kids ran behind him to catch up. 

Daniel laughed, looking at him with a huge smile.

“Miss me?”

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, stepping outside. Johnny’s hair shone golden under the sun, his face a little red because of it. It was a beautiful day. Daniel hit him slightly with his closed fist on the chest. “Why didn't you tell me you were coming, asshole?”

“I wanted to surprise you!” He defended, Robby and Moon finally there.

“Hi, Mr. L!” Robby greeted him, carrying a blanket and a basket. “We brought food!”

“I made it!” Moon said, making Daniel smile at the sight of her excitement. “We thought we could have a picnic!”

Daniel smiled at them, nodding.

He took them to the backyard of the house where the little garden was. He hadn’t had the chance to show it to them when they met because of the rain, but today the sun was up and the sky was clear, they could sit down in the grass among the beauty of the garden and eat in peace.

Robby and Moon set up their place, all the while Daniel kept watching Johnny and the man kept sending little smiles his way—he wanted them to be alone, he wanted—

“Come on!”

They eat between laughs and jokes about food poisoning and break-ups.

Daniel watched them go about their day and conversation as if he wasn’t there, but then Moon would look at him and ask about what he’s been up to and if he’s seen his kids and realize—it wasn’t like it, it was as if he had been part of this group, this family, since the beginning.

He looked at Johnny at his side and watched the way he looked at his son, the softness of his expression as the boy spoke and the loud of his laugh when he threw his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying whatever thing Robby was saying.

It was nice. It felt like home, like the island hadn’t felt in a while.

“I know the house is up the hill,” Robby said to him, Daniel blinked and listened. “But have the waves ever been so tall, they reach the house?”

“Pup, that would be a tsunami.”

The boy smiled, Daniel laughed and sighed.

“Actually, it happened once.”

“What?” Johnny looked at him, concern and surprise in his blue eyes. “How?”

“I wasn’t there! It was many years ago, it happened to Mr. Miyagi’s fellow keeper back when they were both young.” Daniel clarified. “The story is that it rained for days, the storm reached its peak and the waves were so tall, it reached the first house.”

He signaled down the hill, where a rock pit was.

“There.” Daniel said. “The first house used to be settled there. It only stood there for a few months, the storm made them realize it should be up the hill and closer to the Lighthouse, not the dock.”

“Jesus…” Robby murmured. “Was anybody hurt?”

Daniel shook his head. “Nah, the keeper was in the tower when it happened.”

The couple looked at each other at the same time, Daniel smiled and shook his head.

“Go ahead and look.” He offered, laughing when Robby looked at his dad as if asking for permission. 

“Go, don’t be silly.” Johnny said.

The teens stood, Moon held Robby’s hand as they started to jog towards the pit, leaving them alone for the first time since their arrival. And they stayed like that, in silence, watching the kids go—until Johnny lay down on the grass, hands behind his head.

“Was that real or are you just fucking with them?”

“It happened, supposedly.” Daniel said. “I’ve seen the waves, though. According to the record, there hasn’t been a storm as bad in years, but sometimes the waves reach certain parts of the island that still surprise me.”

Johnny made a sound, like he was thinking of what to say but not finding any words.

“Great.” He murmured, Daniel looked at him. “Now I won’t sleep thinking the rain will wash you away.”

He snorted loudly, Johnny looked at him with a frown and Daniel covered his mouth with his hand, trying his best to stop laughing. But it was too late, the image of a small version of him floating in the sea was too funny even if morbid.

Johnny shook his head, closing his eyes as he was obviously trying not to smile.

“I’m sorry, It’s just—” Daniel shook his head. “No, no. The rain is not washing me away, don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t know…” Johnny murmured, Daniel moved his head to one side. “I already don’t like the fact that you’re alone in here, now I’m gonna be thinking about tsunamis and sea monsters knocking at your door.”

Daniel smiled. “You’re ridiculous.”

The man opened one eye and looked at him. “Am I? How many stories are out there about things luring people to the water, uh? They must come from somewhere.”

“God, you’re crazy.” Daniel said, looking at the teens that were speaking into the pit, probably playing with the echo like little children. He bit his bottom lip, looking down at Johnny who had closed his eyes again. “I did miss you.”

His eyes opened, the ocean could not compare. Daniel swallowed and leaned down, happy to find out he remembered Johnny’s lip right: warm and welcoming, softly coaxing his own mouth open, his tongue gentle with his.

Johnny held him there with a hand in the back of his head, Daniel put his on his cheek and slowly moved his fingers up, caressing his ear and then his hair. He knotted his fingers there, sighing happily as the kiss deepened.

He’d been dreaming of this, wishing he could have it again.

Even though he was not sure why the man had decided to come like this, Daniel wasn’t complaining. All he wanted was for them to have more time alone, maybe just—hold onto him until they had to say goodbye again.

Daniel leaned his forehead on Johnny’s after, breathing in and out, smiling like an idiot as he slowly opened his eyes to find those starry eyes sparkling in front of him.

“I couldn’t wait.” He said, as if he had read Daniel’s mind. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.” Daniel sighed, reluctantly getting away as he heard the kids running towards them again. 

“No, I’m not.” Johnny smiled at him, then went back to laying on the grass with his eyes closed.

“How deep is the pit?” Robby asked, sitting back where he was.

Daniel looked at him with a smile, answered everything he asked and laughed with them as they finished eating and then went for a walk.

They could easily walk the entire perimeter of the island, but they walked around just a bit, then ran to the shore where Robby and Moon left their shoes and took out towels from the bag Johnny had been carrying when they arrived.

Johnny put a hand on the small of his back and Daniel looked at him at his side.

“They’re gonna be playing on the beach for a while…” He murmured, looking at him. “Wanna hang out in the house?”

Daniel smiled at him. “Sure.”

The man winked at him, calling for his son who ran towards them immediately. After excusing themselves, Robby gave them a look as he arched an eyebrow before nodding. 

He asked if he and Moon could take a nap in the boat after, Johnny gave him the exact same look and Daniel bit the inside of his cheek—this was too much, he wondered if father and son knew how damn similar they were.

“Sure.” Johnny said at the end, crossing his arms over his chest.

The sight of his biceps made his stomach drop, Daniel looked away trying to control his impulse of just jumping this man and kiss him all over.

“In the cabinet.” Johnny said, Robby frowned at him. “You know what I’m talking about, you little shit.”

“Ugh.” Robby pushed him away. “You’re the literal worst.”

“Mhm, sure. Your friends wished their parents were like me.”

Robby rolled his eyes, but there was a small smile on his lips as he nodded.

“Unfortunately, they perceive you as a cool dad for being good with Moon.” Robby shrugged. “They don’t know how uncool you are when you ask why the cartoons are moving on the ‘chat box’ of your smart-phone.”

Daniel snorted, once again covering his mouth to refrain himself from laughing. Johnny looked at him with accusatory eyes, then at his son.

“Yeah, well I’m not a nerd. How am I supposed to know about that shit?”

“You’re old, it’s what you are.” Robby said, but there was no malice in him. “Just… go away, I want to kiss my girlfriend and it’s awkward with the two of you in the back pretending you’re not dying to kiss too.”

He gasped as Johnny looked away, closing his eyes before staring at his son again, stern.

“Pup.”

“What?” Robby sounded exasperated. “I’m young, not stupid.”

Johnny blinked a couple of times, processing what his son was saying, what his expression was. At the end, he seemed to be satisfied with it—and it was okay, wasn’t it? The boy didn’t have a problem with them, he only wanted to be left alone with his girlfriend.

So.

“Alright, just—”

“Yeah, be careful.” Robby frowned. “ _ You _ be careful.”

Johnny shook his head. “I’m fifty two, not geriatric.”

The boy smiled, going back to join his girlfriend in the water as they stood behind, watching them go before walking together towards the house.

Daniel couldn’t help but smile, thinking of the early morning before all this, when he had thought of this man in the solitude of his room. The surprise on Johnny’s face when he found out once they were alone, for sure...

He bit his bottom lip and guided them to the back door.

* * *

The second Johnny closed the kitchen’s door behind them, Daniel pretty much threw him to the nearest wall and cornered him there, kissing Johnny with desperation as if he’d been waiting as much as him for this moment.

Johnny closed his eyes, moaning into that warm mouth he’d been missing for weeks, very aware of how alone they were here and what had happened the last time they found themselves in each other’s company in this little house.

He gasped for air, moaning again when Daniel thrusted his hips onto his and his hardness made his own twitch in his pants.

“Fuck, you did miss me.”

Daniel smiled at him, nodding before kissing him again, this time softer and slower, allowing Johnny to hold him as he wanted. 

He pulled Daniel closer, thrusted back and swallowed the man’s sighs and moans as they continued to kiss and tease each other with every movement of their hips, making the wait for the rest of this gifted time together even hotter.

Johnny wanted to take him upstairs, undress him like he didn’t last time, enjoy every inch of skin and mark him all over—he wanted to make him come, watch him come, engrave the image of his face under him forever in his head.

But Daniel was faster and had other plans.

The man got on his knees, quickly undoing Johnny’s belt and fly, looking up as if asking for permission and all he could do was smile. Like a fucking moron, Johnny just nodded and smiled, leaning his back on the wall as he closed his eyes.

Daniel’s fingers were cold, they were shaking as he fished for his cock and stroked him in his hand once he slid his jeans and boxers to his knees. 

His eyes opened, looking down to watch Daniel take out his tongue and lick the long of his shaft, making him openly moan as he kept licking and exploring, desperately sinking on his cock and swallowing him as much he could, bobbing his head immediately with closed eyes.

“Fuck!”

It was as if the man had learned how to do this and right away loved it, wanting to have a cock in his mouth all the time. He sucked enthusiastically, hollowing his cheeks and salivating on him, going on and on as if his life depended on it.

Johnny pulled on his hair, stopping him from going forward and finishing him up so fast. Daniel looked up with curiosity, the red of his lips and the string of saliva connecting his mouth to Johnny’s dick made it twitch, Daniel’s eyes immediately gluing to the movement.

He leaned forward, wanting to suck again, so Johnny pulled on his hair harder, making the man moan.

“That’s enough, baby.” Johnny said, Daniel looked up again. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

The man seemed to understand, standing up as soon as Johnny let go of his hair. But before he could lead the way to Daniel’s bedroom, the man was pulling him into a searing kiss, stroking his cock with his hand as he used his own saliva and Johnny’s precome as lubricant.

“John—” He moaned between kisses, walking backwards to the kitchen’s counter. “Johnny—”

“Mmm?” Johnny murmured, kissing down Daniel’s neck as he kept his hands busy, caressing under his clothes before going for his pants. 

“I—”

He bit down the joint between his shoulder and neck, sucking on the skin to leave a mark Daniel could look at and remember him after. The man thrust his hips forward, making Johnny groan as he got a hand inside his pants, massaging his cock over his boxers.

“Oh, shit—” Daniel moaned, thrusting against his hand as Johnny continued to kiss him everywhere he could reach like this. “Fuck—” He threw his head back. “Y-yes, Johnn—”

Johnny smiled against his skin, fascinated with how responsive this man was. He removed his hand, taking a whine from Daniel as he put down his pants and let them pool on his shoes.

“You even have a pretty cock, you know that?” Johnny murmured, Daniel blushed right away. “I got lucky with you, with a face like that and an ass to cry for.”

The man looked down, swallowing visibly as Johnny stroked his cock slowly.

He murmured something, or that seemed to him—Johnny continued to stroke him, going back to kiss his neck. The man rounded him with his arms, kissing his ear before speaking again against it.

“Fuck me.”

“Yes.” Johnny answered, letting go of him to get ready and go upstairs. “Let’s—”

“No. Here.” Daniel said, licking his lips and swallowing again. “Now.”

Johnny arched an eyebrow, looking around—this man had an exhibitionist thing, he was sure of that. He bit his bottom lip, searching his eyes to see how serious he was—

“Please,” He begged sweetly, putting his hands on Johnny’s neck. “When you stopped answering early, I—”

He blinked a couple of times.

“You?” Johnny swallowed, suspecting what was to come.

Daniel took a deep breath, looking away as he prepared to speak. He looked up, smiling almost shyly.

“I went—I went through old texts and—you know… I was thinking of you, it’s all.”

_ Almost _ .

There was nothing shy about this, about Daniel touching himself and fingering himself open as he laid on his bed, reading their dirty texts all because Johnny had lied and said he was working, when in reality he’d been driving all the way here.

His little shy smile became bigger as he saw recognition in Johnny, he was sure of that. 

Slowly, he turned on the counter until he was shoving his ass on Johnny’s hands, bending over and waiting.

Johnny blinked.

“Are you still lose for me?” 

Daniel only nodded.

He took a deep breath and thanked all his saints and angels. He had truly lucked out with this man.

“Fuck.”

It didn’t take long for three of his fingers to sink into Daniel as the man moaned, thrashing his hips around in search of more, wanting to be filled quickly and dirty, like they’d been promising each other for a couple of nights now.

He soon found himself spitting on his hand, asking Daniel to spit there too and sliking his dick as best he could, aware Daniel would be sore but satisfied after. Johnny positioned himself in his entrance, slowly went in inch by inch, closing his eyes as it became more difficult—

But goddammit, it was glorious.

From the tightness to the warmness, Daniel’s perfect heat welcomed him greedily as his walls clenched around Johnny and the man moaned loudly.

He fucked him fast, hungry, fingers laced with Daniel’s over the counter, almost fully clothed as both moaned and sweat together in the kitchen, until the man was coming with a loud whine.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck—” Johnny closed his eyes, going faster as Daniel’s insides closed around his cock, desperately wanting to keep him inside as his belly contracted—“Daniel—”

He came seeing stars, moaning louder than he had in years, maybe ever—he came inside Daniel, almost collapsing completely on his back as they both held their weight with their hands on the counter.

They panted together, silently enjoying the sensation of being together and joined like this, finally satisfied after weeks of texting and sending risky pictures.

It was—glorious.

Johnny kissed his neck and shoulder, nosing at his skin as Daniel giggled happily, turning his face to capture Johnny’s lips in a soft, lazy, grateful kiss.

“You didn’t have to come.” Daniel said after a while, slowly turning after Johnny let go of him and got out. “I’m gone in two days…”

“I know.” Johnny reminded him, looking down in time to see a bit of his come sliding down Daniel’s leg. He swallowed. “But I missed you.” He looked up, putting a hand on Daniel’s face. “You’re going to Illinois first then Boston and Jersey—I couldn’t wait.”

The man smiled at him, holding his hand on his face before turning to kiss his palm. Johnny smiled at the sight, felt his chest tighten as he watched this man’s face and realized just—just how true it was, what his mother used to tell him

He could say it now.

Maybe ruin things forever because this is too soon, too fast. But he could, he could absolutely say it now if it was acceptable.

“Wanna go upstairs?” He suggested, feeling the chill of the air in his balls and ass. “Kinda chilly here.”

Daniel snorted, nodding. “Come on…” He turned to grab a couple of napkins, quickly cleaning himself. Johnny swallowed. “Just—”

“Yeah.” Johnny cleared his throat, taking his underwear up, then his pants. “Uh—”

“It’s fine.” Daniel said, leaving the used napkins on the counter to then put up his clothes. “Come on.”

He took the trash and threw it in the bin, taking Johnny’s hand with his other. 

“You still owe me another orgasm.” The man reminded him.

Johnny blinked a couple of times, biting his bottom lip before looking at them.

“Of course.”

He knew coming here was an excellent idea.

* * *

Daniel knew he was dreaming only because his reality was finally warmer than his fantasies.

In it, he laid with Johnny in a bed he had never been in but knew it was his. They were kids first, boys, young men, and then themselves.

All the while talking as their pillow talks have ended up being. Together.

Sleeping with Johnny was one of the best things in this new world Daniel lived in.

The man had a very particular way to hold onto him.

He either leaned his head in his chest and passed an arm over his waist, or spooned him while holding his hand to Daniel’s chest lazing their fingers and passing a leg between his, as close as possible.

Johnny slept heavily, almost right away when he was tired, didn’t snort but the sound of his breathing kept him aware of it. 

And Daniel loved it, he woke up thinking of it as he confirmed the man was still asleep.

He loved the smell of the man at his side, his warmth, his whole presence that reminded him he wasn’t alone anymore. 

A presence so magenic he could feel it at his side even miles away, knowing that somewhere in California the first boy he ever loved slept thinking of him, and they were both men now and could call each other theirs.

It had just been a couple of weeks and yet—

Daniel swallowed, sighing as he felt Johnny move, slowly waking up from the nap he was supposed to not take.

Blue eyes looked at him, heavy in sleepiness, the cutest sight as he yawned and tried his best to maintain focus on his face. Daniel smiled at him.

“Did you sleep well?”

Johnny nodded. “Did you?”

“A little.” He admitted. Daniel sighed and put a hand on Johnny’s hair, caressing it softly as the man let his chin rest on Daniel’s chest, looking up at him. “What is it?”

“Nothing…” He murmured. “Just thinking about—I don’t know.”

“Tell me.”

Johnny looked at him for long seconds, and just when Daniel thought he wouldn’t say anything, he sighed and moved away to lay on his back, looking at the ceiling.

“You should come stay with me when you’re out of here.”

He looked at the ceiling too, listening to the ocean and the seagulls, and the loud laughs of Moon and Robby playing on the beach still. 

Daniel blinked a couple of times.

“As in, going to California?” He murmured.

He felt Johnny nod before he spoke. “Yeah.”

Were they moving too fast? Likely.

Did he care?

“Uh—” Daniel liked his lips. “I would love to.”

“Really?” He murmured, Daniel looked at him. “I mean—I would still have to work, but…”

“I would love to.” He repeated.

No, he didn’t care.

Johny smiled wide, ear to ear, looking like a young boy.

It was such a silly smile, so happy and bright, it made Daniel smile as well and laugh, looking away as his heart hammered in his chest. 

Johnny moved on the bed, rounding him with his arms and pulling Daniel against his body. He passed his arms around Johnny’s neck and kissed him, trapping him with a leg, keeping them close as they kept kissing between laughs and sighs.

This was good, this was really good.

“It’ll be great to have you home. You’ll see.”

Daniel smiled.

“And where is home exactly?” 

Johnny smiled at him. “Los Angeles.” He said and Daniel frowned. “San Fernando Valley to be more exact.”

Daniel blinked once, twice, slowly a third time, trying to process what this man was saying because—

“What?”

The man looked at him for long seconds, likely weirded out by the way he was acting, the face he was probably making, his frown. And, slowly, he frowned too. He froze too.

Nobody moved or said anything in what felt like a lifetime, history’s longest minute.

“You…” Johnny started. He cleared his throat. “You have something in the Valley?”

Daniel blinked again. “No.” But he did, he did—”I mean, yes. I don’t know why I said that.” He coughed after almost choking on his own saliva, slowly disentangling from Johnny. “Yes.”

The man let go of him, too. 

He sat down on the bed, looking at nowhere in particular as he processed what Daniel had just say, how fucking crazy all this was.

He should be scared.

They should be screaming, running away from the other.

“Mr. Miyagi, he had—this house. There. It was his wife’s dream little house.” Daniel shared, unsure why he couldn’t just shut up. But Johnny looked at him. “He left it to me…”

The man blinked a couple of times, nodding at the end.

“Fuck.” He murmured, looking down. “Oh, shit—”

“Johnny, listen—”

But he laughed, passing both his hands over his hair, looking at Daniel with both, disbelief and amusement in his eyes.

“Fuck it,” he shrugged. “Is it a strange green house in Reseda?” He asked and for the smile on his face, Daniel must have gone pale. “Zen patio and all.”

“Yes?”

Johnny nodded. “And your old man never changed the pipes in spite of how many times they broke because—”

“It was too expensive…”

He nodded again. Daniel blinked back tears.

“Sweet tea in the summer.” Johnny murmured, looking at Daniel. “You are the kid in New York.”

He could feel his nose burn.

“You met Mr. Miyagi.”

Johnny nodded.

“Tried to fix the mess that water system is in that house.” He said, biting his bottom lip as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Though, he went behind me and the other guys all week long and never let us do anything our way.”

He couldn’t help the laugh coming out his chest. It sounded like a sob.

It made Johnny frown and look at him worried, eyes still shining like stars in the night.

“So you went to college in New York.” Johnny repeated. Daniel nodded. “Mhm.”

They stayed in silence there.

Daniel swallowed the knot in his throat, tried his best to scare the tears away. 

The man sighed at his side, laying on the bed again and Daniel couldn’t help but take it as a good sign that in spite of all this weird shit, he wasn’t losing him already.

“How the hell did we keep missing each other all these years?”

Daniel smiled.

“I don’t know…” 

Slowly, he moved until he was close enough to Johnny to smell him again. Daniel lay down too, this time putting his head on Johnny’s shoulder. The man’s arm immediately went around his shoulders, hugging him closer to his body.

He kissed the top of his head and adjusted, hugging Daniel until his face was buried in Johnny’s chest and they were laying on their sides.

They stayed there, listening to each other’s breathings and heartbeats.

“You want me to fix that water system when you get there?”

Daniel snorted, laughing like a maniac against Johnny’s chest.

He nodded his head still laughing, burying his face on his chest as Johnny held him stronger against it.

“Alright, but it won’t be free.”

Daniel looked up, frowning.

“Oooh no, don’t give me those Bambi eyes…”

But it was too late, Daniel could see it in Johnny’s frown and the sigh he let out after a few seconds as he closed his eyes.

“We’ll get to an arrangement, Mr. LaRusso…”

He smiled. “Mmm, I bet we can find something that… is good for the two of us.”

Johnny opened his eyes and smirked at him.

“Look at you learning…”

“Oh, I can be sexy and dirty too…”

His smirk became wider, more dangerous. 

Daniel swallowed.

“I, I mean—“

“I know exactly what you mean, baby.”

Johnny shut him up with a searing kiss, passionate and deep, hungry. It was perfect.

It shut down every thought in his head, every preoccupation that this was too weird, too fast, too soon. All he had in mind now was hands on his skin, lips on his, the scent that brought him comfort.

The afternoon delight came as there were no laughs outside anymore and the seagulls danced around the island in search of food and somewhere to rest. 

Daniel moaned freely, held onto the sheets strong as lips peppered kisses on his back, mapping every birthmark and freckle, making galaxies and naming them before Johnny was kissing his tattoo, reminding him of what brought them here.

He felt like the luckiest man on the planet, living a story he thought would only happen in movies and those stories people told at dinners with friends of things that happened to the friend of a friend.

Johnny took him into his mouth and his eyes closed, his feet curled and Daniel was gone from the rest of the world. He felt himself sink into pleasure in ways he hadn’t in a long time, maybe never. And it was fantastic, really, that someone like Johnny existed out there and was fit for someone like Daniel.

Before reaching his end, he thought of himself poorly drawing what he wanted to carry in his body forever. He thought of the woman who tattooed it in his skin, smiling at him and nodding in approval, listening to his story, asking if he kept contact with that boy.

_ “I can’t recall his face.” _ He had answered.

His eyes opened to find Johnny’s. 

The man looked into his eyes for long seconds, moving them around his face as if he couldn’t believe they were here and this was happening. He caressed Daniel’s cheek, softly passing a thumb over his swollen lips.

Johnny leaned down, kissing him hard, nesting himself between Daniel’s legs as he hugged his waist with them to keep him close, and feel his naked body against his.

_ “I still… I still love him.” _

The woman had smiled brightly, wishing he could find Henry again.

In here, the afternoon casted orange lines on Daniel’s shoulders and back as he looked down at Johnny on the bed. He moved over him calmly, closing his eyes while the man held his hips with both hands, marking his fingers on his skin.

He never urged him to go faster or slower, didn’t stop him from going harder.

Johnny watched him take his pleasure as Daniel rode him as he wanted. 

He watched him with sparkling eyes, an admiration Daniel wasn’t used to, delighted at the sight of Daniel fucking himself on his cock whatever way he wanted. It was amazing, that someone could like him this much.

Johnny kissed him with that same devotion after. 

The man held him as he sat on the bed, moved his hips up and hit that spot inside him each time with his lips on Daniel’s skin, marking his chest and collar bones, his shoulders and neck, every inch of him he could reach until they touched heaven almost at the same time.

He’d never get tired of feeling a part of Johnny in him, the way his body welcomed him and tried to keep him there, the expressions in Johnny’s face as it happened.

As they recovered their breath and looked at each other, Daniel realized he’ll never get tired of those eyes and that smile.

* * *

Saying goodbye was once more the hardest thing he had to do in such a small period of time.

He learned quickly that this was going to be the worst part of seeing Daniel each time, but Johnny was still looking forward to seeing him again as the kids walked ahead of them in the dock.

“So, when are  _ you  _ coming to see us?” Robby asked as he turned to look at them.

Daniel stopped at his side, clearing his throat as he seemed nervous to address his son.

He couldn’t help but smile.

“I—” Daniel swallowed visibly. “Probably November—” He looked at Johnny, he blinked in return. “November?”

“Once you’re done with all your birthday visits, it’ll be nice to see you again.”

Daniel smiled at him. “November will be.”

“Cool!” Robby smiled at him. “Well, it was nice seeing you again, Mr. L.”

He smiled again, shaking Robby’s hand as Moon said goodbye and they stayed there watching the couple get in the boat.

They looked fresh after their shower. Johnny was still laughing at the awkward fest it was for the teens to ask Daniel for his bathroom after Johnny and the man had just taken a shower together as well, wasting more water than necessary with their bullshit.

Daniel had smiled anyway, showed where it was, what was hot water and what was cold water. He borrowed his shampoo and soap, and everyone ignored the obviously used bed they passed to get there, the open window and toilet paper on the nightstand.

He suspected he'd be doing some ignoring of his own once in the boat, but Robby and Moon looked happy, and there was still a part of him that wanted to make sure his son was enjoying himself every time they went out together so he’d want to do it again.

Today, he seemed happy. Likely to want to stay in his apartment the next day when they make it back home.

Johnny turned to look at Daniel, hating every second he had to say goodbye.

“So” he sighed, “I guess I’ll be seeing you in a month.”

“Yeah.” The man smiled. “You—you can still call me. Text me.”

“Sure.” Johnny smiled back. “Let’s see if you get any better at that.”

Daniel frowned cutely, smiling at him while putting a hand on his face. Johnny leaned into his touch and Daniel laughed.

“The fact that you think you’re a good texter is  _ so  _ cute…”

“What?” Johnny looked up. “What does that mean, LaRusso?”

The man bit his bottom lip. “Though, I do like your selfies.”

“Hey!”

“I like when you call better.” He sighed.

Johnny blinked, seeing that the mood had suddenly changed. Daniel caressed his cheek, there was a sad little glint in his eyes as he spoke again.

“Call me when you get to land?”

“Yeah.” He swallowed, putting a hand over Daniel’s.

“And then when you get home.”

Johnny nodded, looking up at him.

“Call me any time, actually.” He chuckled humorlessly.

He looked back to the boat for a second to confirm the kids weren’t there. Johnny looked at Daniel, cradling his face with his hands before kissing his forehead softly.

“I’ll call.” He promised, sighing as he looked at that handsome face again. “Well…”

Daniel shook his head. Johnny smiled at him, understanding.

“To the Moon and to Saturn.” Was all he dared say for now.

The man smiled at him with shining eyes, “To the Moon and to Saturn, John.”

It was all and then some.

* * *

After John, many things changed.

Daniel never thought of himself as someone that could start again at his age, that could risk the comfort of his enoughs and melancholy to have something new.

For a long time he had dwelled in his regrets and the things that went wrong, that didn’t go as he planned and wished for. He looked at his failures and decided there wasn’t more he could do but this, exist and try his best to be a father even if miles away.

The Lighthouse had meant redemption for himself. A way to apologize to his mentor for his absence when he needed him most, a punishment for allowing his marriage to end, for not being an adequate dad to his son.

It had been an excuse to run from it all, to not take matters in his hands. And all it did was to leave him alone.

The storm had changed that.

Slowly, without realizing, he stopped needing the tower and the seasons started to be noticeable to him again. 

As he saw Johnny sell the big house that symbolized his stolen childhood; as Sam gave her friend a name and a face, and another title he had to accept without being an asshole about it; and Anthony showed him his videos where he showed the world his abilities in games.

Daniel found himself anew.

He watched Robby and Moon celebrate a second year together. The boy’s smile when he went into Mr. Miyagi’s house and helped fix the pipes with Johnny, the yard with Daniel.

Daniel saw his daughter’s face as he said he was moving to California, somehow where Miguel’s family lived. Where he had learned karate from his neighbor, a blonde man that had made her laugh when he and his son visited her boyfriend in Illinois in May for his birthday.

The same man he introduced to her as  _ John, my partner _ .

“This is insane.” She had said, but she was also smiling. “You’re just meant to be!”

Before Johnny, Daniel always thought he’d be alone for the rest of his days. He had thought it was alright as long as his family was safe and had everything they wanted.

As long as he had the memory of his mentor wrapped in the significance of the beach where he learned balance and strengthened his legs, his tattoo was enough to remind him he was loved once, and that was enough.

He was loved now.

Daniel was well loved now as he prepared to sleep with the boy from that beach at his side. He was, as Johnny finished cleaning his teeth and looked at Danie through the mirror, playfully pushing him away with his hips.

They got the lights off in the house where he had started to teach karate too just a week ago, his mentor’s family name in it, his soul and heart put into it.

He lay down in that bed and sighed happily as Johnny spooned him, wrapping his arm over his waist, taking Daniel’s hand and lazing their fingers over his beating heart, his warm breath against the back of Daniel’s head, a leg between Daniel’s.

“Good night.” He murmured.

Johnny made a sound behind him, cuddling himself closer to Daniel, making him smile like a moron.

“Love you.” The man replied, Daniel smiled even wider. “To the Moon and to Saturn.”

Now, he lived with John.

**Author's Note:**

> Love you to the Moon and to Saturn, Bailey.
> 
> Thank you all for reading! You can find me for sure on [my Twitter](https://twitter.com/lawrussorights), but also sometimes on [Tumblr](http://lawrussorights.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
